Dr. Hans NymanFriends of Alexandria in Sweden (a NGO organization)

hans.nyman@mbox303.swipnet.se

NAMES 1st General Assembly Meeting

2-3 November 2008 Bibliotheca Alexandrina

Egypt

Photo by Lennart Nilsson

The projection microscope is one of the very roots of popular science

The USB microscope we use in this project is just a modern type

Important is:

Many people can watch – not just one !

18th century projection microscope – a ”solar microscope”

This project could also become a new way to use science as a tool to promote dialogue between cultures and this tool to be used by new and younger groups.

 

From the Science Festivity at Bibliotheca Alexandrina 23-25 April 2008

The field of study is enormous

There is a topic for almost any type of audience.

Zoology, botany, medicine, technology, forensics, agriculture, the ocean, etc, etc.

Why not look at a creepy bug ?

A human flea by Hooke 1665

Adapt to different age groups

Prime target group:

Young people !

Not that curious person

Very curious persons

Young people 8-12:

Young people 13-16:

Young people 17-25:

Adults:

A ”just for fun” group – make it simple

Projects that can be completed within a day

Longer and more advanced projects

Make it simple again – they can’t concentrate !

The USB microscope can be used in an exhibition as a component

In this exhibition visitors could look at the objects that Linnaeus studied with a USB microscope

LINNAEUS’ EXPERIMENT 1767

Filmed with Linnaeus’ own microscope.

He incubated fungus spores in water – after a few days he found a lot of small animals moving.

He thought that the spores had turned into animals.

A huge mistake it was protozoans !

However this mistake started a lot of new and important research by others.

- It is always good to be curious and you don’t have to be right all the time.

It is suggested that Science Centres could become local centres of knowledge on using this tool and inspire schools in their own region.

SchoolsScience Centre

With internet one can reach way beyond the local region of a Science Centre. Feedback from the schools is also easier . Internet also makes it possible to make an internet based “Bank of knowledge” where you can learn the technique and get suggestions to good projects.

Schools

Feedback

The idea is also to build an internet site that is like Wikipedia – the users contribute their own ideas and projects and then steadily improve the projects.

With time this can develop into something very useful that could benefit not only one region but the whole world.

The only problem - this internet site is not existing yet !

You can start today anyway !

The progress of Science is probably the very best examples of what dialogue and sharing between cultures can achieve over time.

Science is also a very special form of subculture that successfully bridges most national and cultural boundaries.

Topics of Science is thus an ideal arena for a positive global dialogue.

This arena can be entered by new and younger groups ! 

Use science and this project as a tool to promote dialogue between cultures