10-Year-Old Accidentally Discovers New Explosive Molecule

[CrazyGirl17]

Wow... talk about lucky.

Maybe I gotta try the "do something random" thing and see if I accidentally discover something new... just saying.

 

[nathan-dts]

So did the child just put together a model for the craic or did she intentionally put it together with full knowledge of what she is doing.

If it's the former then I really don't care. If it's the latter then "Good for you".

EDIT I was right

"But that?s what happened when Clara Lazen, 10, randomly arranged a unique combination of oxygen, nitrogen and carbon atoms."

http://now.humboldt.edu/news/not-your-average-fifth-grade-assignment/

Randomly

It was pure chance and she isn't going to be the one researching its uses so well done little girl, you discovered something by accident and will have no involvement in making it useful.

Many things are discovered accidentally. Microwaves, Penicillin. Columbus fucked up finding India too, doesn't mean the achievement shouldn't be praised.

 

[SnakeoilSage]

Quick! What's that's child's political affiliation and was she raised Catholic?! This is an election year!

*Laughs* Seriously though, children are proving more and more intelligent every generation. They have to... it's the only way all our mistakes will get fixed.

 

[whiteshark12]

Damn, why are you guys still pissing on Mattew94? All he did was tell the people who seemed to think that this child is albert einstein reborn that she put together coloured balls on a stick and the teacher thought it might be a feasible compound. She did no chemistry or science, she made a sculpture and the teacher thought it might work. Not to say that she shouldn't have any mention ever, but she has shown no scientific ability by doing this.

 

[Torrasque]

Just goes to prove that nonsense to you may be pretty damn sweet to someone else.

 

[superbatranger]

He had the intelligence to actually use his discovery unlike this person.

She's 10.

Beethoven may have been publishing his sonatas around that age, but he wasn't taking them to the publishers himself.

And he understood that music theory, she just put molecules together randomly.

If you had 1000 monkeys on 1000 typewriters writing forever you eventually get the best novel of all time.

Does that make the monkey a literary genius or is just the result of probability taking it's course? No it is the latter and thus the monkey shouldn't be praised and neither should she.

Don't ever compare her to Beethoven.

Oh please, don't use the "monkeys type Shakespeare plays" spiel. That is just overused. For shame.

 

[TheMadDoctorsCat]

Meh, if the story with the headline "10-Year Old Accidentally Discovers New Explosive Molecule" doesn't end in said 10-Year Old's face being blackened, her hair singed and her eyebrows burnt right off, it ain't worth it.

Good for her and the teacher though.

 

[Ghengis John]

What makes children immune to criticism and also what makes the act of said criticism indicative of a mental disorder?

Much as I would love to reply completely honestly it seems I've been put on probation... resetting my offense clock which hadn't ticked in about 8 months. So let's not go for broke shall we? Not worth it. I could appeal but the moderators are all chummy so it's unlikely it would prove fruitful. I would hasten to add however, that the comment was a humorous attempt to end the bickering in the thread, which someone has misinterpreted. I actually felt all the attacks had run their course.

I shall answer your question however with questions of my own. So you admit you are criticizing the child. What action do you have to criticize the child for? Who said anything about a mental disorder?

Who knows maybe they will become a serial killer?

Does that look like the argument a logical man would make? Don't be silly.

 

[oktalist]

Unless it's proven that she was some sort of super genius

Nobody said she was a super genius.

I'm gonna stick with "unless it's proven that she won the lottery, my assumption is that she simply used her moderately high intelligence to think of something quite cool", as that is the much more likely explanation.

An ordinary 10 year old miraculously discovers a new molecule?

Edit: said atom when I meant molecule

Nice edit. If anyone discovered a new atom, child or adult, that would be big news.

 

[oktalist]

Damn, why are you guys still pissing on Mattew94? All he did was tell the people who seemed to think that this child is albert einstein reborn...

Nobody thinks that! What is with all the straw man arguments these days?

 

[Waaghpowa]

Unless it's proven that she was some sort of super genius

Nobody said she was a super genius.

I'm gonna stick with "unless it's proven that she won the lottery, my assumption is that she simply used her moderately high intelligence to think of something quite cool", as that is the much more likely explanation.

This would be significantly more impressive if she WAS a genius is my point. The fact that it was simply by chance makes it less impressive and you can believe that she has an above average understanding, but the article makes no reference to her intelligence. So at this point, unless you can prove that she's smarter than average and consciously knew what she was building, the odds are that it was from random chance.

I'm basing my assumptions on what information is available, whereas you are basing yours on your opinion. Or feelings, consider how strongly people are reacting to this because a child is involved.

I'm treating this as I would any random occurring instance. "Good for you!" *Pat on the back*

 

[cthulhumythos]

wait. so it can store energy, AND explode?

so it's pretty much any power source from science fiction.

 

[Dwarfman]

He had the intelligence to actually use his discovery unlike this person.

She's 10.

Beethoven may have been publishing his sonatas around that age, but he wasn't taking them to the publishers himself.

And he understood that music theory, she just put molecules together randomly.

If you had 1000 monkeys on 1000 typewriters writing forever you eventually get the best novel of all time.

Does that make the monkey a literary genius or is just the result of probability taking it's course? No it is the latter and thus the monkey shouldn't be praised and neither should she.

Don't ever compare her to Beethoven.

So we aren't allowed to give praise or encourage this child so that she might gain more interest in this field and in later life actually do all the stuff you say she can't do now. We must express all critic and praise as muted apathy.

Wow your a really nice guy you know that. I could just imagine you with children of your own.

"Daddy! Daddy! Look at my finger painting". "Yes dear but you'll probably never do something as good as that ever again at it's hardly Picasso now is it"

"Daddy! Daddy! I wrote a poem for you for Father's Day!". "Well yes that's very touching dear, but it's hardly 1000 monkeys on a thousand typewriters is it"

 

[Dwarfman]

Once again, she said "Is this real?" and that's heart warming. Really?.

Ah, calling me a troll when my opinion clashes with yours, stay classy. Notice how I haven't thrown insults but many of the users here including yourself have and you claim I'm the bad guy here?

Does it bother you that much that I'm not impressed by an accident that you have to insult a person stating an opinion?

People keep bringing up the fact she is a child, that's great but it doesn't give her a free pass in my eyes. If she is so interested in science as people here say then there plenty of chances for her to do impressive work in the future and if she does do something impressive then I'll have no issue praising her for it then but what she did here isn't very amazing in my eyes and thus I won't praise her.

Mm, was going to just post about the article that I read but I shall reply to you first since I have been following up on this conversation throughout the 5 pages.

This is an observation so it's not what I think of you- yet will state that I think the reason why so many people are getting offended by your posts is because of your way of writing. To them, this was a really cute story since a little girl got really into science and stumbled across a new molecule which is pretty hard to do despite how smart scientists are (and they're very smart, I envy them I admit.) Still, your opinion comes off as bashing in some way since you're saying the girl discovered it accidentally and it's no big deal so no one should care at all.

But I don't feel you meant that. All you were saying is that other people have done great things and to focus on just this girl who was playing around deserves no credit because the molecule she discovered may not even be important at all. As for me, I praise the girl.. just because it's exciting to know someone pulled it off at a young age. Even if she doesn't get credit or remembered for years on out... she will remember this and tell her friends/family/loved ones that she discovered something that big which scientists could use to help them and advance in technology. That is an accomplishment no matter what people make of it to be praised or shrugged off.

Not against you by any means, just stating out why you're being attacked by so many people for. Remember that people have emotions and if you brush them the wrong way, they shall get on you especially since they feel there's no need for you to get on this little girl like that. But, just an observation from me so yeah.

By the way, your sarcasm is another thing... I don't have an issue with it but doesn't help you dealing with Escapists who've quoted you. The 'stay classy' part is one of them. You don't even need to take my advise but just wanted to point that out... I care to much okay?

OT: Awesome! I'd throw her a party not because I think she deserves praise for finding out the new molecule but for helping us move onward with our technology or discoveries. I mean, if she was my daughter I think this would of earned her a free pass from taking the Finals in school haha. Or actually just throw her a party, that sounds best. The teacher she has is the main guest since he picked up on her accidental discovery so yeah all around party!! W00T W00T!!

And yet again Caramel Frappe you have shown how one can acertively and diplomatically express their critisism of another, whilst myself and other go straight for an ax you go and use tact and gentleman's words.

You should be working for the UN or something. World peace would be only a few years away should this happen.

 

[ThunderCavalier]

Now here's the question:

Is she being intentionally humble for discovering this molecule and actually knew what she was doing, or is this simply the luckiest girl in existence?

 

[KAPTAINmORGANnWo4life]

The science teacher is called Boehr?
That's pretty awesome.

Oh yeah, and the explosives. Yay. I'll be interested to see if it has any funny properties.

Crap. I was going to make that reference.


Also, really, the debate about primary school meritocracy is a fail-boat with no rudder.

 

[duchaked]

so what have we learned today, kids...well I've been reminded not to be afraid to ask questions once in a while

 

[Urh]

So did the child just put together a model for the craic or did she intentionally put it together with full knowledge of what she is doing.

If it's the former then I really don't care. If it's the latter then "Good for you".

Bit harsh. In the world of real growny-uppy scientists things get discovered accidentally all the time.

Many important discoveries have been accidental ones. This idea being thrown around by others that this kid will get renown is complete bollocks, though (the best they can hope for is a "cool story, bro"). Scads of completely pointless and esoteric molecules have been synthesised (such as the so-called Moebius aromatics), and the discoverers are (for all intents and purposes) completely unknown outside of the scientific community (and they're not that well known within the scientific community, to tell you the truth). This is basically what's going to happen:

1) A bunch of physical chemists (i.e. chemists who sit in front of computers, meaning that they're not "real" chemists in the eyes of the lab coat wearing majority) will do a bunch of frightfully complex calculations to estimate the stability of the compound. The results will be met with either chin stroking or derision.

2) A bunch of synthetic chemists (who have access to waaaaay too much funding) will spend the better part of a decade trying to actually make this crazy compound, proclaiming success even though said compound is only marginally stable at -200 degrees (and is thus completely bloody useless).

3) A bunch of papers will be published, and the kid's name will likely only be mentioned in passing (if at all) at seminars given by the researchers involved in all this silliness.

 

[SuperTrainStationH]

There's really not much else that can be said other than that it's really, really silly that this story is considered in any way, shape, or form, controversial.