Theatrix Interactive Inc. children's software publisher, today announced the release of Big Science Comics, a CD-ROM science discovery program for kids ages 8 to 12. Kids develop scientific inquiry skills and an understanding of physical science as they create simple machines out of everyday objects. The adventure unfolds into a comic book with full animation and sound as kids lead a bunch of shipwrecked extraterrestrials back to their spaceship after it crash lands on Earth. This unique comic book format is the navigational tool for Big Science Comics that lets kids progress to the next activity or return to previous activities for hours of open-ended play.

Big Science Comics is sponsored by the National Science Foundation. As the Big Science Comics story line unfolds, kids are introduced to the Bumptz -- a crazy crew of space aliens who find themselves trapped in Bette's basement after their spaceship crash lands on Earth. Kids need to help the Bumptz escape by navigating a series of science challenges that await them in each room of Bette's house. Under the guidance of Mo the Packrat, kids engage in hands-on experiments with simple household gadgets to help move the Bumptz from room to room. Mo keeps an online notebook for kids to make observations, look for patterns, and draw conclusions.

With each experiment, kids explore the principles of weight, balance, force, energy, density, buoyancy, and more. A different science challenge lurks in every room of Bette's house. In the basement, kids turn a coat hanger into a bridge by using the Bumptz to balance both sides as they learn the physics of weight and distance. The spoon would make a great lever to open the kitchen window, but it's at the bottom of a sink full of water. Kids experiment with buoyancy, density, and displacement to get the spoon out. Using a gardening sign as a catapult, kids grasp the concept of elastic force as they aim a chain reaction of Bumptz toward the garage door. When they reach the garage, kids use their scientific know-how to help the Bumptz rebuild their spaceship or simply hang out and create cool contraptions.

By the time the Bumptz blast off into space, kids have made observations, applied deductive reasoning, recorded and analyzed data, identified patterns, formed and tested hypotheses, and drawn their own conclusions. Now that's really BIG science! "We were thrilled to develop Big Science Comics in cooperation with the National Science Foundation," said Joyce Hakansson, founder and creative director for Theatrix Interactive. "Big Science Comics provides hands-on experimentation in an entertaining comic book format that will keep kids captivated as they develop scientific thinking skills. And the National Science Foundation involvement means that parents can trust Big Science Comics to meet the highest standards of educational excellence."

As a continuation of Theatrix' recently announced commitment to enable connectivity to the Theatrix Web site from its CD-ROM products, families with a computer, modem, phone line, and Internet service provider (ISP) can access the Theatrix Web site directly from the Big Science Comics CD-ROM. For families that don't have an ISP, turnkey Internet access is offered on the Big Science Comics CD-ROM through AT&T WorldNet Service(SM). The Theatrix Web site .

Big Science Comics is available nationwide through retail channels as a hybrid CD-ROM for Windows 95, Windows 3.1, and Macintosh formats.

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