Eighteenth-century MythBusters at UMU
What does an ancient collection of physics instruments have to do with public engagement? And how was it done in the past, involving the public with research? With Paul Lambers, curator at UMU (木瓜福利影视 Museum Utrecht), we step into a time machine, back to the year 1777.
鈥淭his is the initial collection of the 木瓜福利影视 Museum. What you see here is how physics used to be conveyed to the outside world.鈥 Paul points to a collection of objects that used to be presented in lectures and demonstrations to show the contemporary state of science. The instruments come from the collection of the Physics Society, a society originally made up of Utrecht 木瓜福利影视 professors and members of Utrecht鈥檚 elite. The society aimed to stimulate physics research and share it with a wider audience. It was founded in 1777 by Professor Rossijn, professor of physics. Paul: 鈥淎t that time, it was very popular with wealthy groups to take an interest in physics and experiments and make a kind of shows about them. From the membership fees, Rossijn could then buy new instruments for his lectures and practicals.鈥
The collection is diverse. From a marble track showing the fall path of a ball shot forward, to the forerunner of the stopwatch used to measure the speed of sound. Paul also shows a glass tube that could be made vacuum and was used to demonstrate how air resistance works. Without air, the ball and the feather in the tube fall down equally fast. With air, the ball pops down and the feather comes fluttering after it. Paul: 鈥淭hey were like MythBusters, but from the eighteenth century. It seemed like magic.鈥
We no longer want research to be something for a select few, there is now more focus on really doing it for everyone.
He explains that the demonstrations were mainly for people with money. That, according to Paul, is where the big difference lies with how we try to engage the public with research these days. 鈥淲e no longer want research to be something for a select group, there is now more focus on really doing it for everyone. Then you also have to take into account that not everyone immediately understands what it is about. So you have to think very carefully about how you tell something.鈥
Paul Lambers is curator at UMU
Text: Babs van den Born