Science on the Clyde

Spectacular: a view of the Glasgow Science Centre

Indoor lightning, face scanning and morphing, and a dramatic observation tower which works like a gigantic weather vane are among the attractions the Glasgow Science Centre hopes to offer after its official opening on 21 June.

Parts of the complex have been open since the New Year. The centre's giant-screen IMAX cinema has already attracted 130,000 visitors, it is claimed. The centre as a whole opens this Thursday.

The centre's observation tower is Scotland's largest and rotates to face the wind

GCS's exhibits have been created by a team of specialists from around the world, and range from simple tubes, levers, and mirrors, to hi-tech exhibits such as face scanning and morphing computers.

Science shows in the dedicated theatre will allow visitors to experience indoor lightning and clouds, while the "Clyde Explorer" area will allow a new look at the river.

Preview visitors experiment with a Bernoulli blower...

The centrepiece of the centre is the Glasgow Tower, 127 metres high.

It is the only tower in the world that can rotate 360 degrees from the ground up as opposed to similar structures which have rotating sections at the top.

Rotating design means the tower, shaped like an aircraft wing on its end, can be much more slender than a static tower and withstand similar wind loads.

Preview: local girl inspects homunculus... one of hundreds of exhibits

The centre hopes to become a major tourist attraction as well as helping raise the profile of science in Scotland.