what first sparked your interest in science?

[mcoy]

oh, and my friend's parents too are either scientists, biologists, and doctors....

just a mere coincidence but that's what makes them different from me, and they're probably smarter....so there should also be a bit of a competition here....

[Nevermore]

I'm into science to spite my teachers who said I'd never amount to anything.

[reverse]

As kids we found a box full of Eveready six volt batteries.

When we connected them together we got a fantastic spark.

Once I saw raw energy with its purple glow and ever-changing form,

Well, I was hooked.

[Ophiolite]

Probably no single event. Good science teachers. A geek of a friend who new more science at twelve than most undergraduates. An older sister who had a brief flirtation with science and used me as a pupil. Parental encouragement to 'do well at school'.

Before that a significant path of chance events: a BBC radio serial for children about space by a Scottish cleric Angus McVicar; buying the series of books arising from the radio programs; finding the bookstore out of the latest version and buying instead a children's book by Patrick Moore (massive, in both senses, populariser of Astronomy in the UK); more books by Moore about Astronomy, Space Travel and Geology. The pathway was reinforced by a gift from my sister of The Amateur Astronomer by Patrick Moore as a reward for having done well in my first year in high school.

As a nice closure on these events I met Patrick Moore at a public lecture a little over a year ago and thanked him for sparking my interest in science, then had him sign my battered copy of The Amateur Astronomer below the forty five year old message from my sister.

[jdurg]

For me, I came down with Type I Diabetes the year that I turned 2. I became fascinated in science because I wanted to know why I had to go through the torture of shots and 'stabbings' every day while everybody else got to do whatever they wanted. I wanted to know why I couldn't eat any candy or good cereals while all my friends could eat Lucky Charms, Cocoa Pebbles, Trix, and anything else they wanted to. I wanted to know why my life was so difficult and full of pain while nobody else's life was. So I began reading anatomy books at a young age hoping to be a doctor when I grew up. For a long time I wanted to be a doctor, then I learned about the cost and difficulty of medical school and decided against it. Still, I loved science.

 

For my chemistry interest, I can attribute it to Mr. Wizard. I loved watching his shows and the one where he took apart fireworks and went into the chemistry of it had me hooked. I just wanted to know everything there was to know about chemistry. I started reading a bunch of textbooks on the subject, and while at the time it was a bit above my level, I was able to grasp the basic ideas. I loved all the neat demos and experiments that I read about, and just loved chemistry. I soon became enthralled by the explosives aspect. I wanted to know why this one white powder will go BOOM while this other one won't. So I did a lot of reading on explosives and their synthesis. I decided to get a forensics degree after seeing the Oklahoma City Bombing and the WTC bombing. I was amazed that in all the rubble, scientists were able to figure out exactly what was used to make the bomb. Simply amazing. In forensics I could also find out why certain compounds are toxic and others are not. The toxicology portion was pretty interesting. So I went to college and got my B.S. in Forensic Chemistry. Sadly, upon graduating all this 'hype' about CSI and the O.J. Simpson trial caused a great deal of the forensics jobs in my area to dry up to nothing. (As now a bunch of cops decided to get quick one-two year degrees and 'move up' from within). So when I graduated I was unable to find a forensics job and am still without one. However, it's now been so long that I'd probably need to go back to school in order to be as qualified as I was two-three years ago.

 

Also, like someone had mentioned earlier, people keep asking me 'Do you watch CSI?' I always say 'Not a chance in hell. It is an overdramatized, incorrect viewpoint on the forensics field that is bringing nothing but harm to this line of work'. I also agree that the Forensics Files on Discovery Channel are MUCH more accurate and show what the forensics field is really like.

[YT2095]

Jdurg:

 

I`m not sure how old you are, but do rem that TV program called "HOW" with Graham Garden, I used to LOVE that show

[jdurg]

I turn a quarter-century later this year, but I cannot recall seeing that show.

[YT2095]

no worries then, I got another 12 years on you and I was only a kid when I used to watch it, Great program tho, a bit like "take no-ones word for it" with Carrol Vorderman and Proff Heinz Wolfe, also interesting.

 

 

anyway, back to topic

[Newtonian]

HOW,was excellent.Because of that program i think i was the first entrepenuer in my school.I used to sell adults milk bottles with a fully grown apple in vinegar for sixpence.It sucked though when mum only had malt vinegar:-)

Good ol 70's

[Hellbender]

I don't really remember. I do remember reading lots of books about animals, and especially dinosaurs since I could read. I would start studying a particular clade of animals and when I learned all I could I would move on to another clade. I read lots of field guides and national geographics, whatever I could get my hads on. After high school I became more and more interested in not just animals, but biology and evolution, especially. In college I have taken classes in psychology and biological anthropology, both of which are informative, interesting topics. I guess just having the resources around, a respect of the scientific method and the desire to make sense of the world is probably what led my interest from day 1.

[Hellbender]

For my chemistry interest, I can attribute it to Mr. Wizard. I loved watching his shows and the one where he took apart fireworks and went into the chemistry of it had me hooked.

 

I liked Bill Nye in my younger years. Never saw Mr. Wizard though. The Discovery Channel was also good here in the U.S. before it was all about "OC Choppers" and interior design shows (this fact really chafes me). Nowadays I just watch the Science Channel and National Geographic, not much selling out there.

[psikeyhackr]

I wanted to be an architect when I was in 1st grade for some unknown reason. But I started reading science-fiction in 4th grade. This was during the 60's and the space program was going strong. By 7th grade I was building and launching rockets and was going to be a scientist or engineer. Narrowed it down to electrical engineering by junior year.

[Flareon]

Like many kids back in my day, I was somewhat of a dinosaur geek. I would pore over books with these awesome artistic renderings of these deliciously fascinating creatures and sought to learn everything about them. My favorites were the Deinonychus and the Ankylosaurus. I used to watch Dinoriders and would get giddy everytime it came on.

 

Sadly (or not) that little childhood fancy ended with the advent of Nintendo and Mario (NES old school-ha) but I remember it as my first real source of fascination with the scientific world.

[J'Dona]

I'd would have to have been Star Trek: TNG for me, having watched it since I was about this big: |<--->|, and being homeschooled, so that we were able to learn about things that interested us rather than do fingerpainting.

 

Also, there was this cool poster with planets on it beside my bed that I used to look at sometimes, and a rock collection I got for my 6th birthday, and Bill Nye the Science Guy (that show was awesome). Maybe I was a bit socially underdeveloped, as I couldn't even name the four Power Rangers (or was it five?), but at least I knew what a Heisenberg compensator was, dammit!

[LilSciWizGal]

what first sparked your interest in science?

 

When I was in the 9th grade, in science class, my science: Ms.Stambaugh would go online & show us stuff on Astronomy, espelly stuff having to do with The Mars Rover.

Ms.Stambaugh's a Cool science teacher, and I happen to be one of the best students in her class! She inspired me to want to become an Astronomer, when I grow- up. And she has said to me that I'll make a good Astronomer. And I know I will, because I will become an Astronomer when I grow-up!

[Flareon]

The Discovery Channel was also good here in the U.S. before it was all about "OC Choppers" and interior design shows (this fact really[/i'] chafes me).

 

One of the reasons that I cut off my TV cable and no longer watch television.

[Oceansman]

Reading/looking at pictures in Jacques Cousteau's Calypso amongst other books of his (I pored over the images in this book when i was 4 apparently)

[mustang292]

I grew up with Star Trek.

[Severian]

For me it was fire. I have always liked to set things on fire and watch them burn. Then I wanted to know what fire really was, and it went from there.

[pljames]

STARTREK. I learned, basic science,philosophy,psychology,theology,physics.metaphysics,astonomy,history

politics,engineering and about analysing everything called system thinking. pljames

[greentea]

Started with learning to read and count earlier than usual. Then got seriously ahead in math during primary school, turned to physics in high school (and some astronomy fascination for a while, of course), now in college moving towards biochemistry. It all goes naturally, I never had a particular desire to become a scientist, but it seems logical I end up there. Of course, there are a couple of people, mainly teachers that had a great influence. The physics teacher I had (outside of school) is practically the best in my country (measured by the number of his students' achievements).

[radiohead]

My parents have always gotten me books about science (not that I am complaining). But I think the thing that really got to me was when I was four or five, we had an old 386 in our garage that no one used and I asked my dad to help me put it together. After that, I just wanted to learn more and more about computers.

 

I also like proving teachers wrong...

[Lars nCo]

I've always had a thing for the question 'why?'

[radman]

I was alway interested but it was when i was in highschool that i got really interested in chemistry and physics mostly thanks to my teachers but during my standard grade i just couldn't be bothered working but then i realised i needed to about 2 months before the exams and got top grades in chemistry and physics in the exams heh, now i'm taking them as highers this year

[Reina]

I think i first became intrested in science in grammer school. I was reading a head through my science book and i started reading the section about the planets and the universe and ever since then I have been obsessed with knowing more about the universe.