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Date: | Tue, 24 Jan 2006 21:45:50 +0000 |
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ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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For me, the most impressive 'nuclear energy' exhibit is a cloud chamber. I
mean, to SEE the difference between real alpha, beta and gamma tracks in
the mist in a glass-topped box is so utterly awesome. The worst thing about
most cloudchambers I see in science museums is that they never seem to be
'hyped-up' enough by the graphics. Too many people just walk past them. But
as soon as you quietly tell someone just what they are seeing in there,
they nearly always become awestruck and start telling other people. I've
seen exactly the same thing happen with badly displayed, weakly labelled
pieces of moon-rock. Apart from well-designed graphics, there must be other
ways to make people regard this exhibit with suitable reverence. Maybe
display it in a large, empty, darkened room. Or perhaps make people buy
extra tickets and queue for half an hour outside...
They are not cheap, though. This is the sort of exhibit I mean, but I have
no direct experience of the products supplied by this company:
http://www.cloudchambers.com/MuseumCloudChambers.htm
[log in to unmask] * http://www.interactives.co.uk
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Give people facts and you feed their minds for an hour.
Awaken curiosity and they feed their own minds for a lifetime.
*
Ian Russell
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