Huge dunk tank, kinetic dance floor come to Times Square. For science

This giant dunk tank was recently set up in the middle of Times Square in New York as part of the World Science Festival. Called Holoscenes, it's part of a free performance series designed to raise awareness about science and sustainability.

Each performer in the piece spends time inside this huge glass aquarium. Water is periodically pumped in to represent the Earth's rising sea levels.

The big black cylinder stores water when it's not pumped into the tank. It holds 12 tons! These guys are the tech crew that help support the performance.

The first fellow I saw perform had a guitar with him under water. Here he lets it float next to him.

Holoscenes was created by Lars Jan and the Early Morning Opera.

Here you can see the transition as a new performer prepares to enter the tank. Must have been quite the view from the top of the ladder!

It was hard to tell if the people gathered around were just average tourists who found a neat thing to watch for free, or if they were actually here specifically for the performance. Whatever, they were riveted.

Performances were running from 6-11 p.m. Two sets of lights on either side illuminate the tank as the night falls.  

A couple hundred meters south of the tank was another installation from the World Science Festival.

Seen in closeup, this dance floor by Energy Floors generates power from the kinetic energy of dancers' steps. 

From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. guests were invited to join in games, fitness and dance classes on the surface, which helped charge a battery. Afterward they were given a chance to charge their phones with the energy they had created.

Next to the dance floor was a screen showing visitors the impact of their energy input. Pretty cool piece!