A PROJECT by science students at Ilkley Grammar School was chosen from hundreds of entries to exhibit at The Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition.

The exhibition, which took place from July 1-7, is a free, week-long festival celebrating the cutting edge of UK science featuring 22 exhibits and a series of inspiring talks and activities for all ages.

Ilkley Grammar School’s exhibition stand allowed visitors to make their own music from molecules or listen to the chemical tunes composed by schoolchildren. The innovative project involves using classic chemical reactions to make musical scales, before then being transformed into original pieces of music. Scientists at Bradford University provided the sixth formers with some specialist equipment.

Dr Nicolas Barry, Senior Lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry and Royal Society University Research Fellow, said: “This project demonstrates how chemistry can be fun and exciting, while providing a novel method to understand science. By interpreting data in a more sensorial way we can learn about how nature works at the molecular level and help chemistry appeal to a non-specialist audience.”

Ilkley’s MP John Grogan was one of the visitors on the first day of the exhibition, which took place at the Royal Society’s headquarters just off Pall Mall, which has been their home since 1967.

Mr Grogan said: “The Ilkley students should be very proud of their achievement. It was good to see science students passionate about their subject working closely in a team with students whose first love is music. The results are memorable.”

The Ilkley Grammar School students also visited Parliament as guests of Mr Grogan before returning home.

The Royal Society was founded in 1660. It is a Fellowship of many of the world’s most eminent scientists and is the oldest scientific academy in continuous existence.

Today it is known for its Christmas Lectures aimed at young people and broadcast by the BBC.