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12.14.07
The Beauty of Old Science
by Science of the 1800's always seems filtered to us through a sepia-colored imagination. There's a warmth & beauty to the feel of the time that is so different from the cold and clinical aesthetic of modern science. It's that whole romantic image of manuscripts, mechanical tinkering & taxidermied falcons, that you just don't get sitting in front of a laptop in a lab today.
So one of the best places to visit - if you ever find yourself in an anachronistic mood - is the Museum of Jurassic Technology in Los Angeles. Filled with weird and wonderful old exhibits (and free tea & cookies upstairs!), it's an immersive little treasure trove that houses everything from Floral Stereoradiographs, to a gallery of oil paintings dedicated to the Dogs of the Soviet Space Program.
Online, Cornell University's archive of Scientific American from the 1800's is also worth a look. It's a pretty odd mix of science, gossip & poetry, but seeing the excitement of the time over inventions like: The New & Wonderful Pavement! Lanterns for Destroying Insects! and Railroad Car Heaters! gives a good context to the history of technology that we sometimes take for granted.
Tags: 1800's, exhibits, inventions, jurassic, science, technology
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December 19, 2007 4:24 PM
Scott Wells, DVM
Hiya Ziya-
I too, am fascinated with the hands-on aspect of science, whether old or new, because of the intimate contact of the scientist/observer with the subject matter. Being separated from the subject by technology (laptop) or distance (internet) makes it all seem surreal to me somehow.
As a side note: It seems to me that many members of the 'Millennial' generation do not share my POV. For them, an experience is only validated when it is recorded and reviewed ie: You Tube videos, phone camera photos shared, etc. BTW: This is not intended as a criticsm of these folks; merely an observation. And I'm sure there are other explanations for this phenomenon, which is an impression of mine, but not a scientific observation.
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