Blue
Skies, Bright Sunshine
Local
Scientist tired of explaining why sky is blue
By: Hunter Swelling
William Harris, age 9,
is just like any of the 18 other young 4th graders in his class - impetuous, energetic,
and above all, curious. That's why he's here, at Quack's Echo Environmental Research
Facility, on a class field trip.
His teacher,
Miss Rochelle Timmons, brought her class here today to "see the real world in
action.. And I really thought it would be nice for the children to ask some of
their more intriguing questions, away from a classroom setting.. Someone who knows
the facts."
QE
reporter Hunter Swelling looks on as a foolish child tempts fate. |
Well, one of those "real scientist[s]," is tired
of answering those questions, and certainly tired of quoting the facts. "I'm sick
of it. Those kids drive me nuts. Year after year they come in here, spouting some
nonsense their parent's told them just to shut them up. Then I answer them truthfully,
and they look at me like they want to cry," says Dr. Luther Pollacks, Director
of Community Affairs for the facility. "I mean, I don't want to sound misanthropic,
or anything. I love kids. We have classes come through once or twice a month,
from all kinds of local schools. Some of the little ones are downright smart.
But some of them, cripes, you'd think their parents crawled out from under a rock
not but 2 days before they stumbled in here with their infuriating questions."
The most annoying question that Dr. Pollacks
recieves is "the one where the child looks up at you with those huge eyes and
asks, 'Mr. Pollacks, why is the sky so blue?'"
"I
always answer them the same way," says Pollacks, "the sky is blue because the
sunlight is reflecting off of millions and millions of water droplets in the sky.
Unfortunately, sometimes kids just don't want to hear scientific fact. I can think
of one instance in particular that just did not go well."
The
"instance" Dr. Pollacks refers to involved a 3rd grader from Dumpwood Elementary
in Forgersville. The child in question asked Dr. Pollacks about the sky's rich
blue hue. Upon hearing Pollack's answer, the child burst out into tears.
"The
child's teacher explained to me that she had been told, by her mother, that the
sky is blue because that's God's favorite color. I almost smacked the kid right
there. Then I remembered she was all of 7 years old."
Clearly,
the life of a scientist isn't all beakers and test tubes. I guess sometimes all
that research clouds the judgement.
Though,
Dr. Pollacks sees things a little differently - "Just remind me to never have
children, O.K.? Thanks."
