It Came From Outer Space And We Don't Care, Say Museums

The Guardian (UK) ^ | 1-24-2004 | Giles Tremlett

[aruanan]

He can send them to me, a scientist, and I'll take very good care of them. Of course, I'm a biologist, but I'll still be very interested and give them a good home.

[NormsRevenge]

Mr Tarilonte ,,, eBay

[cyborg]

You can always scrape the surface and see what grows in the petri dish.

[Professional Engineer]

Gees. Seems like practically nobody cares for science anymore.

[sweetliberty]

"Seems like practically nobody cares for science anymore"

Do they still teach that in government schools?

[festus]

No but you can discuss how you feel about it all afternoon while some dope smokin hippy strums the guitar and you all sing kumbya ( or whatever the PC equivalent is ).

[Aracelis]

Gees. Seems like practically nobody cares for science anymore.

Ain't that the truth! I built my first crystal radio last weekend (it works!!!) and tried to tell co-workers about it. Their reaction was the same as their reactions to my impromptu astronomy lessons during breaks..."Nerd Alert!". Sigh!

[Professional Engineer]

Ain't that the truth! I built my first crystal radio last weekend (it works!!!)

I've built all kinds of stuff, but a crystal radio is absolutely fascinating. I'm planning to do that with my son here soon. He'll have his own radi to listen for "bad guys", and not have to use my HF radio.

and tried to tell co-workers about it. Their reaction was the same as their reactions to my impromptu astronomy lessons during breaks..."Nerd Alert!". Sigh!

I get this from other folks as well. Makes you wonder what happened?

[AIRFORCE76]

Hoohah!
I've been an amateur radio hobbyist for many years and get the same reaction when describing the thrill of talking to someone on the other side of the world, they all want to know why I bother and haven't I heard of the internet, etc. It's a damn shame.

[Professional Engineer]

Why do you have 3 or 4 antennea on your car? And other such questions? Internet is basically plug and play, it works or it doesn't. ho hum. HF radio, my where will it go today?

A number of years ago, I ahd insomnia one night. At 2am, I was listening on 15m. I hears a QSO in Spanish and listened a bit. A station in Argentina talking with a guy in Moscow, USSR. Wow, a few minutes later, I was able to QSO with the guy in Moscow myself.

[Bernard Marx]

"Nerd Alert!". Sigh!

I will never get over my disappointment at people who take this amazing world/universe for granted! The old science fictional Sense of Wonder always grips me when I look at the stars or wonder about the symmetry of a crystal. I built my first crystal radio as a kid during WWII (had a heck of a time finding copper wire to wind the coil with!) Tuning in my first station with the cat's-whisker was a thrill and sense of discovery I'll never forget.

[Aracelis]

Tuning in my first station with the cat's-whisker was a thrill and sense of discovery I'll never forget.

Our cat has been avoiding me ever since I started building these radio. lol...small joke. :^)

Seriously though, I've worked in many chem/bio labs, even had a small taste of working with some unusual equipment at FermiLab, but I had never built anything myself.

A dear friend recently taught me how to solder, and I built a simple AM radio - which works great. Ah, but crystal radio has always seemed like magic to me, and I finally got the nerve to try.

I remember my brother spending hours trying to get his coils just right - I wanted to help then, but I was "just a girl". My, how times have changed. I can't wait to see the look on his face when I show him this set! Of course, he'll find something that I could have done better, but I will still relish the moment.

[null and void]

Kewl! I expect we will be making my son's first crystal radio this weekend.

[Aracelis]

I will never get over my disappointment at people who take this amazing world/universe for granted!

I served for a while as president of an Astronomical Society at my university. We had an open-house every week, with scheduled events in between. The kids were always excited...the adults, well they all seemed completely bored as if they were being forced to watch a Disney movie for the 500th time.

I would given them a tour after the observing session of the geology department's rock and mineral collection, which included some meteorites. Again, the kids were excited, the adults were not.

Have we as a society become so jaded and sophisticated that these genuine marvels don't even register? How sad!!! I can't think of anything "cooler" than examining the Widmanstatten pattern of a meteorite section, finding a gem-quality crystal in an abandoned mine, seeing Saturn for the first time through a home-built telescope, or pulling in a radio signal through my hand wound coil.

I wish I had a solution...

[Aracelis]

I expect we will be making my son's first crystal radio this weekend

Keep me posted! The look on his face when he hears a radio station through it for the first time will be priceless!

[StriperSniper]

[cyborg]

I am expecting a mention during the Nobel Prize speech. Thank you.

[StriperSniper]

Well if I win, you have a standing invitation to accompany me. ;-)

[cyborg]

hehehehe