Folium: The ALMA Telescope Array in Chile via Astrobites.com
Folium: The ALMA Telescope Array in Chile via Astrobites.com
Folium: The ALMA Telescope Array in Chile via Astrobites.com
The ALMA (the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array) is the largest radio telescope installation on the planet. I’m not bragging, I’m simply stating a fact. And the interesting thing behind this fact is that the Atacama Desert, known for some of the most inhospitable conditions on the planet, is now a gathering place for some of the greatest minds in scientific discovery. I think that science-fiction shows like Star Trek (in all of its incarnations) captures a human element that often goes overlooked. This is a time where scientific exploration facilitates the unilateral cooperation of all races, nations, and planets.
I’ve been told that science is a universal language. I once heard of a conference where hundreds of minds from around the world gathered to discuss mathematical theorems. In the large lecture hall communication was near impossible until the first numbers and symbols appeared on the screen. The room fell silent, and everyone began working in unison. The language of mathematics unified every person in the room, and assisted by a healthy amount of pointing and sketching, math became the common language for everyone in the room. They worked all day, near silent in speech, but abuzz in math.
Why do scientists need to learn languages? Because science is language-agnostic. Science will happen on every corner of the globe, and lucky will be the ones who can travel to places like ALMA to research and study with minds from every nation. Learning languages connects you with people, and the more people that can work together, the faster we can discover our place in the universe!
I’m linking an auto-tuned remix of Carl Sagan for you. You’re welcome.
