Science is play for
both kids and grown-ups
Does this man look unhappy or bored?
Of course not! Padma Shukla is talking
about something he loves - Physics!
The Story
Cognitive science researcher
Alison Gopnik and her colleagues have discovered that very young
children are just like little scientists, because in their playing
they devise theories, perform experiments, and carefully adjust
one thing at a time to see how things work. However; the
very best scientists, the ones who are the most successful with
breakthrough discoveries and new developments, are also very playful
- and I have seen this first-hand. I've heard several top
scientists - including Nobel laureates - talk about the importance of
remaining playful, in order to make rapid progress in scientific
research. Science is a whole lot of fun for those exploring
its frontiers, and the joy of expanding human knowledge is
infectious. I've watched and experienced the great elation many
scientists have when talking about their work to others of like
mind, and you can feel the excitement and fulfillment that doing
Science brings them. I think it is time the rest of the world
learned the well kept secret that at its core Science is Play!
Jonathan J. Dickau
|