A Kids Toy With A Glow About It

 

 While at the Traveler's Station (the article should be finished tomorrow), I saw this interesting gadget at the book store. You've probably seen those home science labs for kids. But what about getting your little scientist in training his or her own Atomic Energy Lab? Marketed in 1950, this educational toy including it's own cloud chamber for measuring radioactive particles. It would later be listed as among the top ten dangerous toys. The educational lab was discontinued after about a year, not because of safety concerns, but low sales due to the $50 price tag, which with 75 years inflation would be over $600 today. 

 

Bixyl Shuftan

 

Announcement: This Saturday at The Science Circle - "Understanding Science: Particle Physics"

 

"Understanding Science: Particle Physics"

Saturday March 20

10AM to 11 AM SL time

Only a century ago, while the concept of an irreducible object known as an atom was long known and there was growing evidence for its existence, most people had little idea that atom were composed of even smaller particles, many of them with exotic characteristics. 

 In the next few decades, electrons, protons, and neutrons, the relatively stable particles that make up the atoms that constitute all matter were discovered, followed by particles only found in natural events involving high energy. As more powerful particle accelerators were developed, still more exotic particles were theorized and discovered and a Standard Model of how particles interacted and were related was formed in the 1960’s-1970’s.

What does the Standard Model reveal about the particles that make up everything? How can Feynman diagrams show particle interactions? What is missing from the Standard Model? Join me as we explore the search for the smallest of things – subatomic particles – and what we have learned about them.         

Presentation by Dr. Phil Youngblood

For more information, Click Here.

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