The recent Kids Ask Scientist programme, conducted by Mango Education, saw children keep the scientists on their toes

“Why don’t we believe what our ancestors said until it is proven by science?” asked a 14-year-old to Dr Sanjay Molur, Director of Zoo Outreach Organisation. We were at the Kids Ask Scientist programme organised by Mango Education at the Regional Science Centre. One of the many initiatives launched by the folks at Mango Education, this programme allows children in the 11-14 age group to interact directly with and talk freely to scientists from various disciplines. On Sunday evening, it was the turn of Molur and B Hari Haran, scientific officer at the Cosmic Ray Laboratory, Ooty, to field questions from the kids gathered there.

All ears Listening carefully

To go back to the question we began with, Molur conceded that it could not be answered without hurting some people’s sentiments but pointed out that many beliefs had no scientific basis. He cited the common one that house lizards or geckos were poisonous and would cause skin diseases if handled. “When told this as a child, it only increased my curiosity and I picked up a lizard from the wall of my house and began playing with it. I found that handling the lizard did not cause any skin problems.” Molur also laid to rest the belief that the lizard falling into food will cause poisoning. “The lizard is not poisonous by itself. It is attracted by the sight of its prey (flies and other insects) on the food. Which means that the food has been kept uncovered and has probably been contaminated by other means.”

Another incident he cited involved the recent lunar eclipse. At one city school where he teaches, he had asked the children how many had watched the eclipse. Only a couple raised their hands. The rest had not been allowed to watch because the parents believed it could affect their health negatively. Molur pointed out that these were myths and that nothing had happened to those who had watched the eclipse.

Such was the energy in the hall that both the scientists on stage were peppered with questions. What is a typical day at the office like, was the question to Hari Haran. His reply was: experimentation, problem solving, interpreting data to study cosmic rays and how they impact us. He spoke of the need to persevere and not give up. “Thomas Alva Edison failed more than thousand times before he invented the light bulb.

In fact he got it right only on his 2000th attempt. Imagine if he had given up his research midway. We would have been left without a light bulb today.” Hari Haran also emphasised the importance of keeping one’s curiosity alive.

Speaking of curiosity, a parent asked Molur how one could keep a child’s curiosity alive. The answer was to let go of the child and no inhibit them via unscientific belief or scaremongering. “However certain restrictions are necessary. Like telling them not to touch live wires or to pick up a snake when they see one.” Killing curiosity will mean the death of scientific thought, he said, adding that researchers are able to find solutions and keep hunting because they keep their childlike curiosity alive.

Interaction after the Q&A

When Hari Haran was asked about the government’s role in developing fundamental science, the reply was that India spent only 0.9% of its GDP on fundamental science whereas other countries spent about 2% . He felt that the government needed to focus more on fundamental science as otherwise there would be very little or no growth of science and scientific thought.

The children also wanted both scientists to describe their ‘aaha’ moments. To which both replied that almost every day was brought such moments. Molur told an amusing story about the time he went to the Mysore Zoo as a child and saw a woman walking a tiger. This, he said, was such a big Aaha moment that he now works for the same organisation the lady, Sally Walker, founded.

To another question on the influence of their respective parents on their careers, Hari Haran recalled his mother’s encouragement when he, as a school boy, wanted to make a kaleidoscope. “She went out and bought the necessary materials and motivated me to work at it on my own.” Molur said that, though his parents wanted him to be an engineer like others in his family, he wanted to be an environmentalist. He also told of how his interest in environmentalism was piqued when he noticed the decreasing size of the frogs that he used for dissection in school and college.

On the whole the excitement and exhilaration at the Regional Science Centre was palpable and both scientists kept the children engaged with their stories and honest answers.

What made the event even more interesting was that the children were in charge of every aspect: from compering to introducing the scientists to photography and video recording. This went a long way in keeping the other children interested and motivated.

TM Srikanth is the Academic Coordinator at Vidya Vanam, Anaikatti