Exciting reading and I'm only 1/2 way through my issue of the 2012 Year in Science by
Discover magazine."Our #1 story, the discovery of the Higgs boson, is the result of one of the largest and most complex collaborations in history. The two teams that did the research include more than 5,000 physicists. Collectively the 100 stories in this issue represent tens of thousands of people-years of work-a monumental, global effort to expand the reach of the human mind." - Editor in Chief
So true and overlooked constantly. The summation is uplifting and give me a positive outlook for the future. How can we force our US Congress to take notes!
Anyway, some of the work is inspiring!! My personal preference is for space and technical sort of science (less medical and life sciences). For example, I am so IMPRESSED by the folks like this:
John Donoghue: bridging computer science robotics and medical by making artificial arms that work from brain commands!! YES, you are going to see a person without an arm have a prosthetic that just moves by mind control. HELLO 2001 Space Odyssey!
Y'know what really strikes me is that this guy is not a super geek. He is just making such a great use of his life and he's now 63 (young). He just does what he loves and figures stuff out as he goes.
He says, "[since] today's wheelchairs are pretty good, so our focus is the arms. If you can't move your arms, it is extraordiarily debilitating. We want to give paralyzed people back something that is extremely liberating."
Another story is about the privatization of space travel. Our renter works for SpaceX (near Mohave). Again, not a tremendously geeky person, just living what he likes to do. The company president is a woman (not surprised necessarily) and is great in the short magazine interview:
"[SpaceX is coming out ahead of the competition because] we have the freedom and the flexibility ... on design choices far more than our competitors. We build the majority of our electronics. We build all our own structures. We build our engines. We work together as a team every minute of every day, so when we need to have a change on an engine or a minor modification to an avionics box, it's not a big deal. For other companies, the ability to change as you learn is almost zero, because that requires going back to individual contractors."
And one other really good article is about a guy doing computer anti-attack work. Absolutely intriguing, and you probably don't want to know the details. I hope my video-game obsessed son goes this route (sort of).
So it's not that these folks are super brains, they are regular people doing what they love in a smart way. Both my kids are excelling in school, and there's many similar examples that I see around them. The truth is - Any and every kid in school can end up as one of the achievers profiled.
YAY! Gives me a new little inspiration to keep doing what I love. Sales are nice, but slow sales happen.
Modern Science Necklace
Abstract and interesting. I've made a pure copper wire into delicious curves. Decorated with tiny red cut glass dots and added a swinging link at the bottom.
Available only from Pretty Cheap Jewelry HERE
December 13th, 2012 at 11:33 pm 1355441629
December 14th, 2012 at 03:55 am 1355457323
December 14th, 2012 at 04:45 am 1355460304
December 14th, 2012 at 06:44 am 1355467460
I had not thought about buyers finding your jewelry by running searches. (Sometimes I forget I'm even on the internet, duh.) I was imagining you selling your jewelry out of a booth where people would see it in person and if the names were clearly featured, give the viewer more reason to appreciate it....I like it when someone lets me in on their own inspiration. It makes the art more special. When I go to a gallery, I always read the tags for the title.
Well anyway, I like the Roller Coaster Necklace name. Very appropriate.
December 14th, 2012 at 02:03 pm 1355493824