On Jul 17, 2007, at 11:56 AM, Philip L Moss wrote:
In the late 1800's, the first person to receive two Nobel prizes in science (who is worth looking up as this person is atypical is another important way, not just because of the receipt of two Nobels), made a discovery that was later found to account for the missing heat in Kelvin's assumptions. Now all of you have had the benefit of a modern education that has built on the cumulative knowledge starting at least with the Renaissance and will immediate realize what the source of over 99% of the heat on earth is that Kelvin was unable to include since it hadn't yet been discovered.
Why that would be my personal scientific hero while I was growing up as a young girl--Marie Curie, the co-discoverer of the naturally radioactive elements radium and polonium (named after her birth country, Poland). Her first Nobel prize (in physics) was shared with her husband Pierre and Henri Becquerel, for the investigation of naturally occurring radioactivity (she even coined that last term). Her second Nobel prize (in chemistry) she did not share with anyone (Pierre had died by this time of a tragic accident with a horse- powered carriage). It was awarded to her in recognition of the discovery of radium and polonium, and the supreme technological feat in isolating these elements in their pure forms (see the biography "Madame Curie" by her daughter Eve, or the highly entertaining 1940's- era movie starring Greer Garson).
Basic education should be learned in schools, from text books, scientific literature, and interacting with people who do research (including helping them). It should not be expected from a list server or the Internet in general.
Unfortunately, there are many school districts across the country that are struggling to teach science without the interference of school boards that want to ban the teaching of evolution, and/or replace it with intelligent design (what a misnomer!).
Diana * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Diana R. Tomchick Associate Professor University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Department of Biochemistry 5323 Harry Hines Blvd. Rm. ND10.214B Dallas, TX 75390-8816, U.S.A. Email: diana.tomch...@utsouthwestern.edu 214-645-6383 (phone) 214-645-6353 (fax) --------------------------------------------------------------------- Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com
