(Above) Farrah Nazir sparks debate at the British Interactive Group Best Demo competition 2010 at the Hyena comedy club in Newcastle
A science whizz who used burning steam to spark a pyrotechnic explosion at a conference has won a top industry award.
Lighting A Match With Water, Science Explainer Farrah Nazir's stage show for the British Interactive Group challenge, used fire and oxygen to beat more than 20 experts to the prize, which gave rivals three minutes each to demonstrate their incendiary prowess.
Nazir beat more than 20 rivals
"Using two blowtorches and a camping stove I showed that steam can be superheated to temperatures hot enough to ignite a match," said Nazir, who works at the Life Science Centre in Newcastle.
"Super-heated steam is hot but not wet and where there is oxygen, heat and fuel there is fire.
"I'm thrilled to have won BIG's Best Demo competition – it's judged by our industry peers, who have very high standards."
The Centre's Project Co-ordinator, Ashley Kent, also won third prize.
"I think it's fantastic that Life did so well in this competition, not only for Farrah personally, but for the Centre too," said Ian Simmons, Director of Science Communications at Life.
"It can only benefit our reputation as one of Britain’s leading science centres."
