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Jeff,
        I can't tell you how disappointed I am to hear you
say that the cloud chamber isn't engaging to you.... they are
one of my favorite exhibits.  It is partially in the way you get
visitors to look at these things... I admit that it always works
best when there is someone near by to ask... do you know
what those are? But if you can engage the visitors into thinking
about things buzzing around them all the time that they  can't
see or feel, it gets them to think in new ways...
        I also think they are an example of art in nature... the
patterns and trails are as wonderful for me to look at as some
of Ned Kahn's swirling pieces.
        My best story about them comes from overhearing a couple
of astronomers from the University of Washington standing around
one I used in an exhibit (they were there for the opening) and
hearing one of them say... you know...I've studied this stuff for
more than 20 years, but never really seen it...   this exhibit helped
him, like hopefully many of our visitors, take something they might
know as book learning and contextualize it.
        Anyway... as you can tell... I love Cloud Chambers and watching
the alpha, beta and gamma ray paths that  are left behind...it  breaks
me out of my everyday way of looking at the world.

Dave Taylor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


> From: jeff courtman <[log in to unmask]>
> Reply-To: Informal Science Education Network <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Mon, 21 Jun 2004 21:18:15 -0500
> Subject: Re: Over head mirrors for exhibitions
>
> hey martin  check with science place in dallas (paul vinson - you can get
> his email off their web site scienceplace.org)
>
> they had one a couple of years ago and i think they used a mirror...
>
> i've always loved this particular exhibit - as much for the aesthetic as
> anything else.  seen at other centers and confess not sure how many people,
> particularly kids 'get it' (whatever that means.....) in other words, never
> seen it be what i might call a real engaging exhibit/experience.  my 2cnts
> :)
>

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