Natural sciences museum to be part of interactive game 'Vanished'

Kids ages 11 to 14 can get involved in uncovering the mystery in Vanished, an online science-fiction interactive mystery that starts April 4. The eight-week event is conducted by the Smithsonian and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The mystery will be unveiled over the course of the eight weeks. It involves a fictitious environmental disaster.

Each week, players will get clues online that will let them come up with hypotheses about the cause that can be tested, debated and refined. Kids will collect real data from their own neighborhood, for instance. And some players near about 20 Smithsonian-affiliated museums such as the natural sciences museum will be able to find clues inside.

I'm told that the natural sciences' role will come into play a few weeks into the game.

Consider this a heads up. I'll have more details as we get closer.