Universeum is a science centre in Göteborg – and the biggest one of its kind in the Nordic countries.

Delia, my ”Scholarship big sister” and host, joined me on a rather unusual experience. Leon Green, a friend whom I got to know during my Scholarship interview and have kept in touch with ever since, invited me to come check out this place. It started out as an ordinary visit to a science centre, we had a look at the exhibits and played around with a snow scooter and photographed the animals. Just fooling around and having fun really. It is amazing how much there is to learn about different species. They evolve in such weird ways, which seems hilarious at first sight, but makes perfect sense when you think about it. Like the fish Delia is playing with in the picture below. It spits water. Not joking. It spits water to catch insects passing by just on the water surface. Sneaky little fish, but genius at the same time.

This jellyfish is probably the most beautiful one I have ever seen, so I had to add the picture of it, even though it doesn´t really belong to the story. It was just magical.

At Universeum you can also find a rainforest! They have lots of different species in there – loose! You can see everything from anacondas to monkeys and exotic birds like the red one below. Fantastic place!

 

But then, Klas Malmberg, an aquarist at Universeum, approached me and asked if I could help them out with something. They had a guitar ray who had been hurt by one of the other species in the aquarium, and was in need of immediate attention. Something had bitten off the end of the guitar ray´s tail, and together with the vet, Klas and Leon I was going to provide some medical care. How exciting!

As a medical student I can only rejoice when there are wounds to be mended! And, this was my first experience treating animals. It is so much more interesting to get to see behind the curtains, and experience what is actually going on in these places and what challenges the employees face when they work in such a place. So, we had this poor little guitar ray, who unfortunately got its tail bit off. Not to mention any names, but the sandtiger shark might have been their primary suspect. The ray was already caught in a big ”mesh-pool” that looked like the cages they use for MMA, so all we had to do was to get dressed in wetsuits, jump in the aquarium, swim over to the ”mesh-pool” while looking out for the sandtiger shark, catch the ray and hold it firmly so that the vet could treat it.

    

Leon had to sit in a small rubber boat fulfilling the role of a surgeon´s assistant and handing over equipment as needed. Me and Klas stood in the ”mesh-pool” keeping the ray steady, with the vet doing his magic. He rinsed and dried what was left of the tail, applied antibacterial ointment and patched it together. The  little ray even had to have a shot to prevent serious infection. After the little session was over, we gently let it loose, and crossed our fingers for the treatment to work. All we could do now was wait and see.

But the visit wasn´t over yet, we also got a chance to check out their new department – an interactive fun station! That´s not what it´s called, but I couldn´t remember the name when I wrote this. However, I think my description is close enough. They have a huge room filled with small stations grouped by different categories (as for instance ”memory”). At the check-in you choose which are your best traits, and you get assigned to the stations that matches your answers. Like my favourite station – where you stood before a huge squared matrix on the floor. For 10 seconds it would light up, showing red faces for forbidden squares, and green for squares with extra points. After the 10 seconds it all went black and you had to find your way through the matrix without stepping on any of the forbidden squares. It was really cool! I felt like I was 7 years old again! Bless science centres.

So thanks so much to Leon and Klas – I had such a good time! And Delia, for being my agent/manager/big sister – I hope to be back again soon!