RIYADH: Saudi astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali Al-Qarni on Monday conducted an educational experiment with high school students across the Kingdom live from the International Space Station (ISS).

The ‘heat transmission’ experiment enabled students to interact with astronauts and compare results of the two experiments in ISS’ microgravity and earth.

“Results have shown that heat travels slower in space than it does on earth,” reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

On Sunday, the astronauts, who have earlier made history as the first Saudi nationals to be sent to ISS, conducted a space kite experiment that involved 12,000 11 to 13-year-old middle school students from 47 schools across the Kingdom.

The interactive experiments were organized by the Saudi Space Commission in partnership with the Ministry of Education, the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, Riyadh Schools and Misk Schools.

They aim to spark students’ interest in science, technology, engineering, and math and improve their skills, according to a statement on SPA.

The series of experiments also seek to enhance the Kingdom’s role in developing the space sector and boost its position in the global space science research community.

The first experiment that the two Saudi astronauts conducted with students was held on Saturday.

The pair, together with elementary students in the Kingdom, examined the behavior of colored fluids on Earth and in space.

The experiment focused on changes in speed and shape while liquids were stirred in both environments.