[Sara's blog] Inventing 101

Some people just have a knack for building things, or taking things apart to make them work better. My grandfather is one of these people – he looks at the stuff he uses everyday and tinkers with it to make it better suit his needs. As a kid, I laughed at his toaster tongs (so you don’t burn your fingers), his long-reach grasping device (so you can reach things beyond arm’s length), and his half-sized roll of paper towels (so you get exactly how much you want). As an adult, I recognize the sheer practicality of each of these items. And I’ve also seen very similar items pop up on the shelves of the supermarket or on late-night infomercials.

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[podcast] Professional Tinkering

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Transcript (Text, PDF)

In astrophysics, the development of innovative technology is crucial to answering scientific questions about the Universe around us. The types of technology invented are determined, at least in part, by the answers we are seeking. At the heart of this science-technology cycle are “professional tinkerers,” scientists and engineers that balance the needs of the astrophysics field and the opportunities afforded by an impressive palette of tools.

In this episode, we interviewed Dr. Harvey Moseley, one of the “tinkerers” here at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. He gave Blueshift some advice on how to take inventions from the drawing board to reality.

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