- Feb 18, 2001
- 30,990
- 5
- 81
Long ago, a young 11 year old kid visited Fermi on an all day field trip. Early in the morning, that kid got into an argument with a guy in a blue lab coat about the makeup of water. Blue Lab Coat Guy assured the field trip group that water was made up of oxygen and hydrogen. That kid argued back saying that it was impossible for water to be made up of things that burn. In the way only an ignorant 11 year old who knows everything can, the kid argued that something made up of things that burn can not be used to put out other burning things. “Sorry, you don’t know what you are talking about Blue Lab Coat Guy”, said the kid.
At lunch, Blue Lab Coat Guy came and found that kid again. He said he set something to show off in the nearest lab, so the kid followed him over there while the rest of the class had their tasty buffalo burgers. In the lab, there was what looked like a big fish tank with a few giant cables coming out of it. Blue Lab Coat Guy used a glass and took some water out of the tank and asked the kid to drink some to prove it was water (though slightly salty).
Blue Lab Coat Guy then took that kid about 10 feet away and flipped one of those giant lever power switches like you see in horror movies. The entire room buzzed, and the water seemed to instantly start boiling. Blue Lab Coat Guy then tossed a lit match at the tank from across the room. Suddenly, water was on fire! In that instant, the know-it-all kid knew that what he actually knew; was nothing. A million questions entered that kid’s mind, and none of them had easy answers. In a a blinding flash of clarity about the rest of his life, that kid was was going to know everything about burning water. A scientist was born in those few seconds, and has never looked back.
Slightly over 20 years later the adult that was that kid remembers that field trip like it was yesterday. In fact, that adult still enjoys a buffalo burger every once and a while. Blue Lab Coat Guy, wherever you are... Thanks. I can’t wait for the next adventure.
-Dave
At lunch, Blue Lab Coat Guy came and found that kid again. He said he set something to show off in the nearest lab, so the kid followed him over there while the rest of the class had their tasty buffalo burgers. In the lab, there was what looked like a big fish tank with a few giant cables coming out of it. Blue Lab Coat Guy used a glass and took some water out of the tank and asked the kid to drink some to prove it was water (though slightly salty).
Blue Lab Coat Guy then took that kid about 10 feet away and flipped one of those giant lever power switches like you see in horror movies. The entire room buzzed, and the water seemed to instantly start boiling. Blue Lab Coat Guy then tossed a lit match at the tank from across the room. Suddenly, water was on fire! In that instant, the know-it-all kid knew that what he actually knew; was nothing. A million questions entered that kid’s mind, and none of them had easy answers. In a a blinding flash of clarity about the rest of his life, that kid was was going to know everything about burning water. A scientist was born in those few seconds, and has never looked back.
Slightly over 20 years later the adult that was that kid remembers that field trip like it was yesterday. In fact, that adult still enjoys a buffalo burger every once and a while. Blue Lab Coat Guy, wherever you are... Thanks. I can’t wait for the next adventure.
-Dave
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