Comments on: Good: The return of amateur science http://boingboing.net/2008/12/22/good-the-return-of-a.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Sun, 19 May 2013 08:42:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Halloween Jack http://boingboing.net/2008/12/22/good-the-return-of-a.html#comment-363785 Halloween Jack Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-363785 Sadly, the average parent now would look at this and go "ZOMG Junior has a meth lab." Treasure the memory of our lost golden age, lads. Sadly, the average parent now would look at this and go “ZOMG Junior has a meth lab.” Treasure the memory of our lost golden age, lads.

]]> By: yrogerg http://boingboing.net/2008/12/22/good-the-return-of-a.html#comment-363787 yrogerg Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-363787 @18: ...Yeahhh, the political climate of the past decade is what's responsible for the death of these types of science kits BEFORE I WAS BORN. I hear GWB is also responsible for the death of Lawn Darts, too. Seriously, though. The restrictions on these things have been occuring gradually over the last two or three decades; we stopped being cavalier about even mild amounts of radiation in the 60s and 70s, and it's not as though the restrictions on materials for home-made pyrotechnics was invented by the WoT in 2001. Most of that stuff was already on the books and enforced to stop other forms of bomb-making way back when it was domestic, not international, terrorism that everyone was worried about. @18:

…Yeahhh, the political climate of the past decade is what’s responsible for the death of these types of science kits BEFORE I WAS BORN.

I hear GWB is also responsible for the death of Lawn Darts, too.

Seriously, though. The restrictions on these things have been occuring gradually over the last two or three decades; we stopped being cavalier about even mild amounts of radiation in the 60s and 70s, and it’s not as though the restrictions on materials for home-made pyrotechnics was invented by the WoT in 2001. Most of that stuff was already on the books and enforced to stop other forms of bomb-making way back when it was domestic, not international, terrorism that everyone was worried about.

]]> By: Laamish http://boingboing.net/2008/12/22/good-the-return-of-a.html#comment-363536 Laamish Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-363536 Bravo, Mark! Great Essay. And that Chemcraft ad... It made me almost swoon to see it. My brother had that very kit back in the ancient past. Wish it were still around. Bravo, Mark! Great Essay. And that Chemcraft ad… It made me almost swoon to see it. My brother had that very kit back in the ancient past. Wish it were still around.

]]> By: airship http://boingboing.net/2008/12/22/good-the-return-of-a.html#comment-363793 airship Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-363793 Thank goodness for United Nuclear. www.unitednuclear.com/ Thank goodness for United Nuclear.

http://www.unitednuclear.com/

]]> By: Ugly Canuck http://boingboing.net/2008/12/22/good-the-return-of-a.html#comment-363544 Ugly Canuck Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-363544 Kitchen kemistry, an old old tradition. Kitchen kemistry, an old old tradition.

]]> By: Simon Cameron http://boingboing.net/2008/12/22/good-the-return-of-a.html#comment-363805 Simon Cameron Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-363805 @17 U-238 is disappointingly tame. @17
U-238 is disappointingly tame.

]]> By: Takuan http://boingboing.net/2008/12/22/good-the-return-of-a.html#comment-364317 Takuan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-364317 thanks John! thanks John!

]]> By: l'elk! http://boingboing.net/2008/12/22/good-the-return-of-a.html#comment-363577 l'elk! Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-363577 Krusty Kitchen Kemistry Krusty Kitchen Kemistry

]]> By: seijihyouronka http://boingboing.net/2008/12/22/good-the-return-of-a.html#comment-363584 seijihyouronka Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-363584 It's because of popular science articles, then books, then Boing Boing, then MAKE that despite my diffidence and lifelong aversion to the sciences (frankly I always thought I was just too stupid) I have not only wound up studying neuroscience in college but have decided to tinker at home, too. Amateur science has made my life and the life of anyone who'll tolerate my rambling more profound, or at the very least more interesting. The ratio of "Isn't this neat?" to "Isn't this frustrating?" conversations in my life increases every week, and I doubt it's at the expense of laboring toward the solutions I'm interested in finding. So thanks be to amateur science, and to general nerdliness for everyone! It’s because of popular science articles, then books, then Boing Boing, then MAKE that despite my diffidence and lifelong aversion to the sciences (frankly I always thought I was just too stupid) I have not only wound up studying neuroscience in college but have decided to tinker at home, too.

Amateur science has made my life and the life of anyone who’ll tolerate my rambling more profound, or at the very least more interesting.

The ratio of “Isn’t this neat?” to “Isn’t this frustrating?” conversations in my life increases every week, and I doubt it’s at the expense of laboring toward the solutions I’m interested in finding.

So thanks be to amateur science, and to general nerdliness for everyone!

]]> By: Brian http://boingboing.net/2008/12/22/good-the-return-of-a.html#comment-363587 Brian Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-363587 DWFTTW FTW! DWFTTW FTW!

]]> By: Cheqyr http://boingboing.net/2008/12/22/good-the-return-of-a.html#comment-363592 Cheqyr Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-363592 @9: Wow ... a non-trivial, on-topic BoingBoing post that would read the same if you disemvoweled it! @9: Wow … a non-trivial, on-topic BoingBoing post that would read the same if you disemvoweled it!

]]> By: jennylens http://boingboing.net/2008/12/22/good-the-return-of-a.html#comment-363594 jennylens Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-363594 OMG, were there smaller versions of these kits? They were metallic, with a beige background and red and black lettering? My heart stopped a beat when I saw this image. I am sure I had a smaller version. I never really tinkered with it, other than looked at it. I tinkered more with art, although I always loved science and math (good skills for a digital artist, or someone who has to digitize her photos). Every once in awhile there's an image from my childhood on this site, I gasp and memories flood out, followed by tears of joy. First, I haven't thought nor seen many of these images in ages and secondly, I never knew anyone else into what I was into. I wonder if that's the way people feel about my punk photos. Memories and all that, whether you were there or missed it. Collective memories we share. What a joy. And that is why boing boing is my fave site. I only wish I had more hours to read EVERY post. Bless you all. Happy holidaze. OMG, were there smaller versions of these kits? They were metallic, with a beige background and red and black lettering? My heart stopped a beat when I saw this image. I am sure I had a smaller version.

I never really tinkered with it, other than looked at it. I tinkered more with art, although I always loved science and math (good skills for a digital artist, or someone who has to digitize her photos).

Every once in awhile there’s an image from my childhood on this site, I gasp and memories flood out, followed by tears of joy. First, I haven’t thought nor seen many of these images in ages and secondly, I never knew anyone else into what I was into.

I wonder if that’s the way people feel about my punk photos. Memories and all that, whether you were there or missed it. Collective memories we share.

What a joy. And that is why boing boing is my fave site. I only wish I had more hours to read EVERY post.

Bless you all. Happy holidaze.

]]> By: Roy Trumbull http://boingboing.net/2008/12/22/good-the-return-of-a.html#comment-363622 Roy Trumbull Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-363622 I made my first gun powder with a Gilbert chemistry set. Soon I was into making hydrogen gas for balloons with lye and foil. John T. Frye wrote his "Carl and Jerry stories for Popular Electronics and they were my introduction to electronics. Then there were those hilarious adventures of Scratchi in CQ magazine. I made my first gun powder with a Gilbert chemistry set. Soon I was into making hydrogen gas for balloons with lye and foil.
John T. Frye wrote his “Carl and Jerry stories for Popular Electronics and they were my introduction to electronics.
Then there were those hilarious adventures of Scratchi in CQ magazine.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2008/12/22/good-the-return-of-a.html#comment-363890 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-363890 Good gravy, but I miss this. I miss my (child-resistant) blue bottles and my xx-in-one electronics kits. Those things kept me fascinated for tens of minutes when I was a child, much to my parents' relief. Sadly, the (special) interests of safety have triumphed over my nonessential liberties in this regard. Legislation and regulation have combined to frustrate the curious home experimenter (such as myself) in efforts to stamp out more serious threats. If only there were a sort of amateur license I could acquire that would allow my curiosity to satisfy itself. Sigh. --Patrick Good gravy, but I miss this. I miss my (child-resistant) blue bottles and my xx-in-one electronics kits. Those things kept me fascinated for tens of minutes when I was a child, much to my parents’ relief.

Sadly, the (special) interests of safety have triumphed over my nonessential liberties in this regard. Legislation and regulation have combined to frustrate the curious home experimenter (such as myself) in efforts to stamp out more serious threats. If only there were a sort of amateur license I could acquire that would allow my curiosity to satisfy itself.

Sigh.

–Patrick

]]> By: unsafe at any speed http://boingboing.net/2008/12/22/good-the-return-of-a.html#comment-364688 unsafe at any speed Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-364688 ebay is a great place to find glassware and some chemicals. ebay is a great place to find glassware and some chemicals.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2008/12/22/good-the-return-of-a.html#comment-364184 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-364184 Amateur science, we do what must, because we can. Amateur science, we do what must, because we can.

]]> By: Takuan http://boingboing.net/2008/12/22/good-the-return-of-a.html#comment-364703 Takuan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-364703 then the gestapo arrests you on receipt of delivery then the gestapo arrests you on receipt of delivery

]]> By: Viadd http://boingboing.net/2008/12/22/good-the-return-of-a.html#comment-363689 Viadd Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-363689 Takuan, You can get all the "The Amateur Scientist" columns on a CD ROM for $27 from http://www.brightscience.com/ (scroll down to the bottom). Takuan,

You can get all the “The Amateur Scientist” columns on a CD ROM for $27 from
http://www.brightscience.com/
(scroll down to the bottom).

]]> By: Takuan http://boingboing.net/2008/12/22/good-the-return-of-a.html#comment-363690 Takuan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-363690 thanks for that ( I already knew you could buy them but was hoping someone had posted them for the world) It bothers me that they didn't make them free since it is kids that get inspired from them. I was. thanks for that ( I already knew you could buy them but was hoping someone had posted them for the world) It bothers me that they didn’t make them free since it is kids that get inspired from them. I was.

]]> By: John Miles http://boingboing.net/2008/12/22/good-the-return-of-a.html#comment-364205 John Miles Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-364205 The Amateur Scientist collection that was republished on CD is a joke. Its database is basically a proprietary homebrew hack job that has to be viewed in a Web browser. I happen to know where a nice, clean, fully-OCR'ed .PDF of the original C. L. Stong book can be found, unencumbered by DRM or some moron's idea of NIH nirvana. Anyone looking for it should email jmiles@pop.net for, um, a hint. The Amateur Scientist collection that was republished on CD is a joke. Its database is basically a proprietary homebrew hack job that has to be viewed in a Web browser.

I happen to know where a nice, clean, fully-OCR’ed .PDF of the original C. L. Stong book can be found, unencumbered by DRM or some moron’s idea of NIH nirvana. Anyone looking for it should email jmiles@pop.net for, um, a hint.

]]> By: zeroy http://boingboing.net/2008/12/22/good-the-return-of-a.html#comment-363718 zeroy Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-363718 I seem to remember getting a chemistry set as a gift at a young age. Of course, I had no concept of chemistry, but I liked the idea of stuff that would blow up, or at least react in such a way to create a big mess. My father refused to give me permission to conduct any process that involved a flame. Perhaps smart on his part, but seriously inhibiting any serious scientific research on my part. So, I had to learn the hard way, building pipe bombs in my friend's basement. I still have two eyes and ten fingers. Rare. I seem to remember getting a chemistry set as a gift at a young age. Of course, I had no concept of chemistry, but I liked the idea of stuff that would blow up, or at least react in such a way to create a big mess.

My father refused to give me permission to conduct any process that involved a flame. Perhaps smart on his part, but seriously inhibiting any serious scientific research on my part.

So, I had to learn the hard way, building pipe bombs in my friend’s basement.

I still have two eyes and ten fingers. Rare.

]]> By: Kevbo http://boingboing.net/2008/12/22/good-the-return-of-a.html#comment-363731 Kevbo Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-363731 I think lawsuits slowly killed amateur science. No manufacturer wanted to be responsible for any of the chemicals and subsequent concoctions that could be produced from a science kit. Science kits were so lame by the seventies and eighties. I loved looking through the manual that went with my dad's Gilbert kit in the fifties. Experiments often resembled this: "Grind the supplied U238 to a powder, heat the hexafluorine to a gas and warm the liquid mercury in the palm of your hand. Need more? Contact your local chemistry supply house or order from us!" Good times, good times. I think lawsuits slowly killed amateur science. No manufacturer wanted to be responsible for any of the chemicals and subsequent concoctions that could be produced from a science kit.

Science kits were so lame by the seventies and eighties. I loved looking through the manual that went with my dad’s Gilbert kit in the fifties. Experiments often resembled this: “Grind the supplied U238 to a powder, heat the hexafluorine to a gas and warm the liquid mercury in the palm of your hand. Need more? Contact your local chemistry supply house or order from us!”

Good times, good times.

]]> By: zeroy http://boingboing.net/2008/12/22/good-the-return-of-a.html#comment-363746 zeroy Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-363746 > U238 Rock on. > U238

Rock on.

]]> By: Takuan http://boingboing.net/2008/12/22/good-the-return-of-a.html#comment-363748 Takuan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-363748 it wasn't lawsuits, The political climate of the last decade especially is what really did it. it wasn’t lawsuits, The political climate of the last decade especially is what really did it.

]]> By: Jake0748 http://boingboing.net/2008/12/22/good-the-return-of-a.html#comment-363505 Jake0748 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-363505 Good? GREAT!!! I don't know what idiot's idea it was to discourage science learning and experimentation at home anyway. Bring it (back) on. Good? GREAT!!!

I don’t know what idiot’s idea it was to discourage science learning and experimentation at home anyway. Bring it (back) on.

]]> By: Pyros http://boingboing.net/2008/12/22/good-the-return-of-a.html#comment-363508 Pyros Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-363508 Improved means to unimproved ends. Improved means to unimproved ends.

]]> By: Bevatron Repairman http://boingboing.net/2008/12/22/good-the-return-of-a.html#comment-363513 Bevatron Repairman Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-363513 My Dad encouraged this kind of stuff, and the SciAm amateur science projects in particular, but -- for some reason -- refused to let me build a liquid mercury rotating mirror. My Dad encouraged this kind of stuff, and the SciAm amateur science projects in particular, but — for some reason — refused to let me build a liquid mercury rotating mirror.

]]> By: Takuan http://boingboing.net/2008/12/22/good-the-return-of-a.html#comment-363519 Takuan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-363519 I LOVED the Amateur Scientist. Someone should post all the old articles. I LOVED the Amateur Scientist. Someone should post all the old articles.

]]>