Two cardboard boxes are the basis for this amazing cooker which can be used to boil water or cook food.

Reflective foil and black paint help the boxes maximise the absorption of solar energy.

Covering the cooking pot with a transparent cover helps to retain the heat - have you ever noticed that a pan with a lid boils quicker than an un-covered pan?

Using solar energy instead of cutting trees for firewood helps to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and also reduces smoke from burning, which is harmful if breathed in.

How else can we capture solar energy? - read here!

What molecules in nature can transform energy from sunlight into chemical energy?  Hint - plants are good at this!  

So why aren't plants black? - this was one of last year's winning entries to the Molecular Frontiers Inquiry Prize... (well done Vladimir!)... do you have an answer?

Maybe you have a question for this year's Prize - submit it before May 6th!

Action:

Lots of solar energy activities here!

But of course the best activity would be to build your own sun an a box!