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As part of their Global Economic Community Engagement, MERCK - a leading science and technology company based in Germany - has partnered with the University of Botswana (UB) to bring the much-anticipated Curiosity Cube to local learners. The mobile science lab will be active from the 1st – 9th of August 2025.

Launched in 2025, the Curiosity Cube is a mobile science laboratory delivering hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) experiences to students aged eight (8) to 13 across the globe. The initiative is designed to engage grassroots learners in interactive STEM activities and spark interest in technology from an early age.

Speaking at the opening, Southern Africa Curiosity Cube Coordinator Ms Lenoh Sibisi said the initiative, led by MERCK’s Science and Technology department, aims to captivate and intrigue young minds.

“Through MERCK’s Science and Technology department, the Curiosity Cube initiative intends to captivate, intrigue and spark curiosity amongst grassroots students, aiming to develop interest in the field of STEM,” she said.

Ms Sibisi noted that this year’s focus was on Artificial Intelligence (AI), with learning activities targeting local primary schools. The sessions include interactive games such as Auto-Bot, a self-driven AI car that follows paths drawn by students; Guess Who, which teaches children to distinguish between AI-generated and human images; and Light Bright, a tool used to demonstrate how AI mirrors human behavior.

Ms Sibisi further underscored the importance of nurturing technological aptitude and ethical awareness at an early stage, giving children an opportunity to envision their future in the world of science and innovation.