« »

Chemistry is too dangerous!

Jun 2nd 2006Wallabynerd alert

So apparently, it’s getting rarer and rarer for kids to have chemistry sets at home, because safety concerns mean that only the really boring stuff like laundry starch winds up in the kits. That’s “safety” concerns about “junior blowing up federal buildings” as well as “junior burning his hand off with HF” — both valid, I guess, but assuming that everyone is buying copper sulphate to destroy stuff isn’t fun for anyone. And of course, this is directly tied to concerns about the US becoming less and less scientific. Which makes sense; kids getting to do fun stuff for themselves is a big part in getting them interested in science. Especially when their teachers make it far more boring than dirt (which is actually pretty interesting stuff).

For the record, though, it is not absolutely essential to have a chemistry set in order to grow up to be a chemist… I never did. I *did* have a microscope, a telescope, an electronics kit, some kind of mechanical building thing, assorted bits of solar cell, a parabolic mirror for concentrating sunlight, several magnifying glasses for frying ants, and one of my first toys was the “beep box” my dad built for me out of various lights and buzzers and things. It beeped! and nobody else had anything like it! :) But never a chemistry set. Who knows what I might’ve grown up to be if I had?! Probably a doctor. Ick.

Tags: , ,

3 Responses to “Chemistry is too dangerous!”

  1. jaegermom on 08 Jun 2006 at 10:19 pm #

    I checked your closet, being sure you had had a chemistry set, but you are right: you didn’t. All the other stuff you named is still there, but no chemistry set. Well. I’m thankful you were able to overcome the deprivations of your younger years, and become Dr. Wallaby at last. Congratulations!

  2. Wallaby on 11 Jun 2006 at 12:33 pm #

    Let’s just say… it wasn’t a *formal* chemistry set from a box. Unless a pill bottle full of black powder counts.

  3. jaegermom on 26 Jul 2006 at 9:26 pm #

    Oh. I guess I shoulda known that black powder wasn’t just the innocent dirt you claimed it to be. Good thing neither of us ever threw it very hard.