LEGO Ideas The Evolution of STEM revealed!
Posted by CapnRex101,
21354 Twilight The Cullen House has only just been released and the next Ideas set has already been announced! 21355 The Evolution of STEM is based on danielbradleyy's winning entry to a building contest celebrating STEM held in 2023.
21355 The Evolution of STEM
Rated 18+, 879 pieces
$79.99 / £69.99 / €79.99
Available at LEGO.com from 1st March and pre-order now
Open a brick-built book on the evolution of STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) with this LEGO Ideas collectable display model for adults (21355). An inspiring science gift for women, men and history-lovers, the set features a buildable base in the shape of an open book topped by mini builds that represent historic innovations.
Build an early car and a home computer, the NASA Voyager Probe with the Golden Record on board for any extraterrestrial life form that may find it, and much more. Turn the dial to make a 3D replica of a carbon atom float upwards and a DNA strand rotate.
The set includes LEGO minifigures of 3 famous scientists: Marie Curie, the first person ever to win 2 Nobel prizes; Sir Isaac Newton, famous for his law of universal gravitation; and pioneering agricultural scientist George Washington Carver.
I must admit, I had forgotten about this competition, held back in autumn 2023, but the set looks excellent to me.
What do you think of it? Let us know in the comments.
124 likes
117 comments on this article
Maria SKLODOWSKA Curie, Polish woman who was the first to win two Nobel Prizes in different fields.
This is a cool looking set but for me the highlight is that bee—I've been hoping for those leaf pieces to come in clear so that I can make some flying insect steeds to go with my Mushroom House and upcoming Mushroom Village.
As a person with two degrees in the biological sciences, I love this!
I hate this type of sets. STUFF
The radium print being on a glow in the dark tile (I think, anyway) is a great little touch.
I wish that car was minifigure scale
I will definitely get this... gotta support STEM right now any way I can.
Loving the Carbon atom, very nicely done. I think all the scientist AFOL's (such as myself) will be eyeing this up
Doesn't seem like pre-orders are actually available yet, at least in the UK
I didn't think he word 'Math' had an letter 'S' in it.
Also Carver's watering can design is ingenious!
I am going to buy this set!
However, why does the description says it is "an inspiring science gift for women, men and history-lovers." What about non-binary fans of the history of science?
Also, why no Lego Darwin to go with Newton? Maybe he'll come in a gift-with-purchase set?
@Murdoch17 said:
"I didn't think he word 'Math' had an letter 'S' in it.
Also Carver's watering can design is ingenious!"
It does in British English.
@Adrianvader said:
"Maria SKLODOWSKA Curie, Polish woman who was the first to win two Nobel Prizes in different fields."
I really hope the instruction booklet will have her correct name.
Maybe I'll get Isaac Newton on Bricklink (my name is Isaac)
Just glad neither Watson nor Crick are included.
The inventor of mavity in a Lego, finally. (If you know you know)
Otherwise cool set, just not for me.
Wow, I can't really explain why, but this set just really makes me smile. What a wonderful use of LEGO pieces and community ingenuity :)
I like the idea. The figures look fun. The small builds are interesting. I don't picture myself putting it together and displaying it, so I don't think I'll pick it up. But I like what they did with it.
For science!
@Brickalili said:
"For science!"
What had science ever done for us?
(Joking)
Now this I really like.
Ooh, I like this! Also, seeing that printed radium element tile makes me want a full periodic table of tiles. It would be stupidly expensive for the amount of prints though.
First impressions are that this looks fantastic, and it's a delightful reminder of what the Ideas theme can do, at a reasonable price, without the need to be linked to a film or other IP. This wasn't on my radar but definitely moving it into the 'Wanted' column.
Actually kind of a shame this set is branded as 18+, because I'd be a perfect way for kids to learn about some of the milestones in the rich and ongoing history of the field of science. Especially given the sad fact that not every kid will learn these things in school or elsewhere...
But as a set, it's awesome.
@GirlWoman said:
"I wish that car was minifigure scale"
I think with a small modification it will be a fun addition to the soapbox derby cars.
Or build several for an old-timers amusement park ride.
BRUM finally gets a LEGO set.
@ToysFromTheAttic said:
"Actually kind of a shame this set is branded as 18+, because I'd be a perfect way for kids to learn about some of the milestones in the rich and ongoing history of the field of science. Especially given the sad fact that not every kid will learn these things in school or elsewhere...
But as a set, it's awesome. "
That’s what I thought! It seems Ideas is just an 18+ theme now, but there’s no reason for a set like this to be. It would likely appeal less to a few adult buyers sure but this feels like a set that should have a purpose of getting kids interested in STEM.
@Indy24LA said:
"I will definitely get this... gotta support STEM right now any way I can."
donate a copy to your local library!
That small car is very cute!
Really neat looking model and the STWM figures from history are cool but I wish the push was for an educational STEM model and less of a display piece.
There is a stage extra / proto-fig / slabbie on a tile on the desk underneath the chalkboard!
Wow wow wow. I hate how much I love this (only because it means one more set I need to buy). And not the kind of set where you'd expect amazing minifigs, but Marie Curie? George Washington Carver? That other guy, the old-timey apple farmer? (Just kidding). Outstanding set.
@LotRBrickfan196 said:
"The inventor of mavity in a Lego, finally. (If you know you know)
Otherwise cool set, just not for me."
I understood that reference!
@AlexanderTheGreat said:
"I hate this type of sets. STUFF"
Me too. It's so static. What other sets fit this? The Jules Verne GWP comes to mind.
There are elements I like, but the whole combination is a little unappealing. I'd be tempted to do an moc foundation for a classic novel theme.
@ToysFromTheAttic said:
"Actually kind of a shame this set is branded as 18+, because I'd be a perfect way for kids to learn about some of the milestones in the rich and ongoing history of the field of science. Especially given the sad fact that not every kid will learn these things in school or elsewhere...
But as a set, it's awesome. "
Nothing preventing kids under 18 from purchasing. They’re not going to check ID at the counter. Kids can and do build ‘Adults Welcome’ sets already.
I don't like Newton. The world would have been a much better place had he never invented gravity!
As for this set.....I like the idea and I do like many of the components, but as a whole.....it doesn't quite work for me.
Kinda morbid that Marie Curie is holding onto the element that contributed to the cause of her death.
Design aside, the bee seems an odd choice to include. Is it because of the contribution of honey or pollination or something? I confess I'm drawing a blank on this one.
Robert Hooke is very displeased with this set...
I’ve been putting together female science themed sets on a dedicated shelf and Marie Curie here is gonna fit in nicely.
@GirlWoman said:
" @AlexanderTheGreat said:
"I hate this type of sets. STUFF"
Me too. It's so static. What other sets fit this? The Jules Verne GWP comes to mind. "
76391, 21352
Are the red 1x2 beams in the DNA double helix new? They seem to have an axle on the side to hold the parts forming the base pairs in place.
Don't really know what to make of it.
It looks like a bit of a mess to me. Not in a hurry to get it. Maybe someday for the parts.
@CT8088 said:
"Are the red 1x2 beams in the DNA double helix new? They seem to have an axle on the side to hold the parts forming the base pairs in place."
good catch! Yes, they appear to be new.
A bit weird, as it is a mix of many things, times, concepts. I guess that I will have to present and explain it to the people coming home and wondering what it is and what it represents stands for : Un hommage à la science. But I like it, just like I like Da Vinci's Flying Machine and Galileo vignette. So I will get this one, eventually.
No Sheldon Cooper
I love this way more than I thought I would, seeing the original submission. I probably won't get it, but I think the model design is fantastic.
Not for me but that car is cute though.
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is an umbrella term used to group together the distinct but related technical disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
@lukmar said:
" @Murdoch17 said:
"I didn't think he word 'Math' had an letter 'S' in it.
Also Carver's watering can design is ingenious!"
It does in British English."
It only does in British English, where it's applied improperly. The original abbreviation for mathematics as "math" came in the 1800's. As an abbreviation, it's always used as a mass pronoun. Maths didn't appear until much later.
It works the same way as the word music. In my life, I have never once heard anyone say, "I like listening to musics."
I wish the car was a polybag.
This set is ultra demographic specific, so it's an easy 0 or 1 for people looking at it.
Golden ratio is 1.618034 to 6 dp.
Literally unbuyable
@Vesperas said:
" @lukmar said:
" @Murdoch17 said:
"I didn't think he word 'Math' had an letter 'S' in it.
Also Carver's watering can design is ingenious!"
It does in British English."
It only does in British English, where it's applied improperly. The original abbreviation for mathematics as "math" came in the 1800's. As an abbreviation, it's always used as a mass pronoun. Maths didn't appear until much later.
It works the same way as the word music. In my life, I have never once heard anyone say, "I like listening to musics.""
Neither is right or wrong. Mathematics encompasses multiple areas of study and British English tries to retain that meaning when shortening to maths. Math behaves more like a conventional abbreviation, which is also fine.
Music is not an equivalent because that is not shortened from a longer word. Science and sciences are perhaps closer examples, as the singular and plural forms can be used almost interchangeably.
There is a biologist, a chemist and a physicist (I know Marie Curie can count as both physicist and chemist). The mathematician is missing: a Carl Friedrich Gauss or Leonhard Euler would have been great - along with the Euler formula (e^(ip) + 1 = 0) on the chalkboard. I am also very surprised there is no telescope on this display (I suppose we got it with the Galileo tribute). The whole double-helix rotates from a knob at the back - nice touch.
Just to nitpick a little bit for fun: The carbon orbitals are wrong (1s22s22p2) but I don't know how anyone could do it properly in Lego form even at a much bigger scale. It also seems that there are two sizes of protons and neutrons (3 big oranges, 3 big blues, 3 small oranges and 3 small blues should be 6 big oranges or blues and 6 small oranges or blues). I understand that the choice Lego made was clearly for aesthetics - and it works!
I like this set and I will get it eventually as I own most of the tribute sets to real people.
This seems like VERY cool partpack!
@AlexanderTheGreat said:
"I hate this type of sets. STUFF"
Bro. I get you, I also hate "put stuff on shelf and leave it there" sets.
But this one? Not only its great partpack we get 3 great new figures and amazing minibuilds that you can use with figs.
This is absolutely beautiful. I would have liked Rosalind Franklin to be included as well, but the three scientists we have are wonderful choices.
@Tyrell_Archer said:
"This is absolutely beautiful. I would have liked Rosalind Franklin to be included as well, but the three scientists we have are wonderful choices."
Just read the Wikipedia page about her - never heard of her before - fascinating! (and also sad in a way)
As a fan of Madame Curie (see user name), I may have to--wait, is that Classic Space logo on the computer screen???
glad some you enjoy this, not in my budget.
too many huge sets , others, black friday for me.
really like the base, the book.
@lukmar said:
" @Adrianvader said:
"Maria SKLODOWSKA Curie, Polish woman who was the first to win two Nobel Prizes in different fields."
I really hope the instruction booklet will have her correct name."
I doubt it, Lego only gives her full name on the Polish version of their website. Other versions only use her married name. I really wonder if Lego would do this if her birth name was, say, American or German.
For all your pretence of not being sexist, you sure like the idea of a woman's identity being imposed by the man she marries.
It's not Marie Curie, she wasn't French, marrying a Frenchman didn't make her French. She was Polish and she herself used Maria Sklodowska-Curie as her signature. Stop with the disrespect.
18+ sets are sold on the top shelves of shops, you are ID'd when purchasing and law enforcement can stop and search children to make sure that they aren't in possession of an 18+ Lego set.
sorry to be a hater but am i the only one who doesn’t get the whole thing of stuff coming out of a book that is in every single moc on the internet now even when it makes no sense but just kinda looks cool
@lego4elio said:
"sorry to be a hater but am i the only one who doesn’t get the whole thing of stuff coming out of a book that is in every single moc on the internet now even when it makes no sense but just kinda looks cool"
Yeah it doesn't really make sense here. Putting then all together in a lab or on a planet or in some auditorium setting (like for a lecture) would have made sense
@shedjed said:
"Just glad neither Watson nor Crick are included. "
Another Rosalind Franklin fan, I assume?
@ra226 said:
"As a fan of Madame Curie (see user name), I may have to--wait, is that Classic Space logo on the computer screen???"
Yep definitely a Classic Space Logo - this computer just increased tremendously in value!
Has anyone notice that Lego trees are very often twisted and contorted as opposed to straight and upright? Should I say 'Disneyfied' version of trees?
If it wasnt to do with a competition then I would have liked 4 separate smaller builds for each letter of STEM. I like the Madame Curie minifigure and repect the importance of the other stuff but don't feel I need it all
@Brick_Belt said:
" @lego4elio said:
"sorry to be a hater but am i the only one who doesn’t get the whole thing of stuff coming out of a book that is in every single moc on the internet now even when it makes no sense but just kinda looks cool"
Yeah it doesn't really make sense here. Putting then all together in a lab or on a planet or in some auditorium setting (like for a lecture) would have made sense "
We had bleached, pressed, dred, and printed instruction for nerd classes in my day. Yet, I agree, this looks a bit messy and strange.
After all, it's not very applicable, today. My son has taken Advanced Placement science and math classes since elementary school all the way to college, and he hasn’t had a book for any of those classes. It's all pixleated. Thus, a lab, auditorium, or classroom would be a better and more original choice.
I hope those tiles are printed. Not a fan of stickers.
@xccj said:
"Design aside, the bee seems an odd choice to include. Is it because of the contribution of honey or pollination or something? I confess I'm drawing a blank on this one."
The bee represents the biology sector, along with the flowers. Let me say that honey bees aren’t the only pollinators, there are more bee species than you realise (over 20,000). Honey bees are just 10% of bee species worldwide. Flies pollinate flowers such as hoverflies, some species of mosquitoes, and many solitary wasps as well. So don’t give them credit for pollination.
A fascinating set, and certainly much more of an 'Idea' than just a copy of some film or TV show!
(Love the car... reminds me of Jon Pertwee's Bessie in Dr Who!)
So many excellent sets being released in March. Come on Lego... don't you realise it's Council Tax renewal month!
@xccj said:
"Kinda morbid that Marie Curie is holding onto the element that contributed to the cause of her death."
Judging by the way light hits it, it seems that it's also glow-in-the-dark.
That's right, kids, there used to be a time that computers came in any color you could imagine! And that color was beige.
@lukmar said:
"It does in British English."
Yes, yes, Ye Olde Late Middle English, we know. Modern English eliminates stuff like that and the vestigial U.
@xccj said:
"Design aside, the bee seems an odd choice to include. Is it because of the contribution of honey or pollination or something? I confess I'm drawing a blank on this one."
It's clearly a space bee. Space probe, space shuttle, space bee. Can someone start assembling a new crew? You know, just in case?
@xccj:
Her body was exhumed, and it was determined that she probably didn't ingest enough radium for that to have killed her. Now, it's believed that her work in field radiology during WWI is likely to blame.
@legoDad42:
So, besides 21110, 21312, and 40530, what have you got? Do you count 40450 because Earhart was a pioneer of aviation, even though she wasn't really involved on the science side of things? Do you count 21302, which has two minifigs representing fictional female scientists? What about 21309, which was never crewed by females, but which depended on the mathematical skills of several? Or 10283 and 4740, both of which represent STS-31, which included a female scientist on the crew? And then there's every rendition of a Mars rover (lots of female scientists working those missions from the ground) and every rendition of the ISS (lots of female astronauts have spent time onboard, of which several have been scientists).
@Tyrell_Archer:
The three scientists chosen are the most famous scientist, the most famous female scientist, and probably the most famous non-white scientist (it's hard to say on this one as an American, because his inclusion here may show American bias). It's pretty much guaranteed you're going to end up with those three if you're trying to make sure you present an inclusive lineup, because GWC is the scientist kids learn about during Black History Month, and Curie is the one they learn about during Women's History Month, because women and minorities were frequently shut out of the scientific community during times when some of the most foundational discoveries were made (Curie couldn't even present her first Nobel-winning discovery, instead having to leave it solely in the hands of her husband).
@parsom:
She used both surnames as an individual, but founded two Curie Institutes in Paris and Warsaw. After Pierre Curie's death, she was pretty dedicated to honoring his memory. Plus, she lived in a time when a man was his own self, but a woman was seen as her husband's wife (again, Pierre had to present her first discovery alone, and her name was only included for their shared Nobel Prize when he protested her exclusion, so, ironic that he's now known as her husband or not at all). The earliest American woman I can think of who was widely known under a hyphenated name was Jacqueline Kennedy-Onassis, who hyphenated the names of her two husbands, not her maiden name (Bouvier). She was also a French citizen during WWI, so a German name would have likely been frowned upon. This set is one month out. It's highly unlikely that they'd be able to introduce a change to the instruction books for the initial release.
@HOBBES:
Apple trees are very twisty and gnarled. Apple farmers have to trim them regularly to keep the trees producing, and the only commercial use for the trimmings that I know of is applewood-smoked meat. You can turn lumber of any shape into charcoal briquettes.
@lukmar said:
" @Murdoch17 said:
"I didn't think he word 'Math' had an letter 'S' in it.
Also Carver's watering can design is ingenious!"
It does in British English."
2+2 is 4, minus 1 that's 3, quick maths
I like the concept, but dislike the execution. I would have preferred something closer to 21312. I would have liked to see a 4 models with one focusing on science, one on technology, one on engineering, and one on mathematics. Then include four minifigs, one to represent a person that made a significant contribution to each field. Yes there is some overlap between the various fields (especially technology and engineering) but it could done.
@PurpleDave said:
" @lukmar said:
"It does in British English."
Yes, yes, Ye Olde Late Middle English, we know. Modern English eliminates stuff like that and the vestigial U."
*American English skips the 's' in 'maths' while other parts of the world still refer to it as 'maths'. Modern English is somewhat distinct from American English, but that depends on how strict you wanna be. It's a very... grey area.
Also it's fine to refer to Marie Sklodowska Curie as simply Marie Curie. That's what she's mostly known as. It's not disrespectful at all.
@HOBBES said:
" @ra226 said:
"As a fan of Madame Curie (see user name), I may have to--wait, is that Classic Space logo on the computer screen???"
Yep definitely a Classic Space Logo - this computer just increased tremendously in value!
"
Alas, looks like a sticker. I do like Madame Curie, though. Not seriously considering the set, but may have to see if I can at least get ahold of her, and the Ra tile. Ohhh--they should do a scientists CMF series. I'd be all in on that!
@shedjed:
Again, most famous scientist, most famous female scientist, and (probably) most famous minority scientist. For Watson and Crick to be included, you'd have to skip over _many_ more prominent scientists, like Einstein. With this trio, it's easy to explain his absence, since he'd have to bump Sir Isaac Newton off the podium. But if a second white man were to be included in this lineup, he seems the most obvious choice given that Galileo and da Vinci both have their own sets already.
@HOBBES said:
"There is a biologist, a chemist and a physicist (I know Marie Curie can count as both physicist and chemist). The mathematician is missing"
So are the technologist and engineer. It's just three scientists.
"a Carl Friedrich Gauss or Leonhard Euler would have been great - along with the Euler formula (e^(ip) + 1 = 0) on the chalkboard."
For a mathematician, I'd actually propose Brahmagupta. Amongst his myriad accomplishments, he was the first person known to recognize zero as a number in its own right, and not merely a placeholder for "lack of something". He also recognized and described how to perform math with negative numbers. His work is as foundational as Newton's three laws.
"I am also very surprised there is no telescope on this display (I suppose we got it with the Galileo tribute)."
Got one in the Research Institute, and a rather different style in Women of NASA.
"Just to nitpick a little bit for fun: The carbon orbitals are wrong (1s22s22p2) but I don't know how anyone could do it properly in Lego form even at a much bigger scale. It also seems that there are two sizes of protons and neutrons (3 big oranges, 3 big blues, 3 small oranges and 3 small blues should be 6 big oranges or blues and 6 small oranges or blues)."
I understand what you mean about them being two different sizes, but shouldn't that be "6 big oranges _and_ blues _or_ 6 small oranges _and_ blues"?
@Rare_White_Ape:
Yes. Modern English.
And in a day and age when so much focuses on how people want others to refer to them, it's difficult to justify using a name for her just because it's how she's most commonly known, if you are aware that she chose to use a different one. Did she exclusively refer to herself by the hyphenated form, or did she switch between them at times? Is the shortened form one that was forced upon her by the scientific community? Yes, when I was a kid, we only learned of her as "Marie Curie" or "Madame Curie". I don't even remember learning about her husband, so it wasn't even made clear to us at that time that this was not her birth name. There is a possibility that her Polish maiden name was suppressed during the height of the Cold War, what with Poland being one of the signatories to the Warsaw Pact. Or she was just publicly known as Marie Curie even during her lifetime because women were frequently dismissed within the scientific community (see Hedy Lamarr).
Just a comment to say that although I am only vaguely familiar with George Washington Carver (I wouldn't have remembered his name unprompted) I'm happy to see an inclusive set of minifigs. There are plenty of other opportunities in the future for an Einstein fig, for a generic "stem" set diversity is a good thing - anyone can be a scientist.
Just a shame the age range / difficulty is higher, but that wont stop me building this with my 5 year old daughter!
Yeah, I need this. I really need this.
The man who described Mavity in a LEGO set? Heck yes!
It's nothing like he original idea but it's ok. I loved the vintage car.
@LEGOlas____ said:
" @Indy24LA said:
"I will definitely get this... gotta support STEM right now any way I can."
donate a copy to your local library!"
Never encourage this folks. Don't waste money on libraries when you can download files of every book online for free. Donation is a bad financial decision unless you already have enough money in retirement investments that allow you to live comfortably. This is a minority of people, us majority should not donate money and definitely should not encourage it.
It looks an absolute mess to me. And if that is meant to be DNA, then they should have asked a scientist to check their design. They could have used an angled connector to get the major and minor grooves instead of two equal grooves but worse than that, the chirality is wrong - the helix is twisting the wrong way. It looks more like z-DNA. They seem to use the non-scientist view of any old double helix is good enough.
STEM fail.
@Tyrell_Archer said:
"This is absolutely beautiful. I would have liked Rosalind Franklin to be included as well, but the three scientists we have are wonderful choices."
She would be horrified at the mistakes. LEGO have ignored her work and just gone for any twirly thing is good enough.
Maria Sklodowska-Curie with a computer on her desk. LOL
As a tribute to STEM, this is fantastic.
@Ottozone said:
" @LEGOlas____ said:
" @Indy24LA said:
"I will definitely get this... gotta support STEM right now any way I can."
donate a copy to your local library!"
Never encourage this folks. Don't waste money on libraries when you can download files of every book online for free. Donation is a bad financial decision unless you already have enough money in retirement investments that allow you to live comfortably. This is a minority of people, us majority should not donate money and definitely should not encourage it."
In every conceivable way, wow, just wow, what a take.
@PurpleDave
"So, besides 21110, 21312, and 40530, what have you got? Do you count 40450 because Earhart was a pioneer of aviation, even though she wasn't really involved on the science side of things? Do you count 21302, which has two minifigs representing fictional female scientists? What about 21309, which was never crewed by females, but which depended on the mathematical skills of several? Or 10283 and 4740, both of which represent STS-31, which included a female scientist on the crew? And then there's every rendition of a Mars rover (lots of female scientists working those missions from the ground) and every rendition of the ISS (lots of female astronauts have spent time onboard, of which several have been scientists)."
I keep it with just minifigs with small dioramas or by themselves (I'll mod small settings form them).
I have the other larger Saturn V and Space Shuttle sets but my 'female science shelf' I theme as long as they have figs.
I'm not a fan of Big Bang Theory (I have the set though for parts), didn't know the other gals where scientists too. Maybe I'll include them!
Started with the 21110 Research Institute and it grew from there.
Then 21312 Women of NASA along with...
- 40530 Jane Goodall Tribute
- 40450 Amelia Earhart Tribute (Besides a pioneer of aviation I count her because she also studied mechanics, some medical studies at Columbia, Red Cross Nurse's Aide).
- 3 Female Astronauts, Botanist, Rocket Engineer, Personal Trainer 60230 People Pack - Space Research and Development
- Nurse Series 1 CMF.
- Surgeon Series 6 CMF.
- Spacewalking Astronaut Series 26 CMF.
- Programmer Series 19 CMF.
- Space Fan Series 20 CMF.
- GPL Tech Ninjago Movie Series CMF.
- Gwen Ravenhurst 60351 Rocket Launch Centre
- Female Lunar Research Astronaut 60351 Rocket Launch Centre
- 3 Female Astronauts from 60350 Lunar Research Base
- Astronaut 60348 Lunar Roving Vehicle
- Space Scientist (w/little computer diorama) 60077 Space Starter Set
- Both female Lunar Research Astronauts 60349 Lunar Space Station
And now to add Marie Curie soon.
@chrisaw said:
" @ToysFromTheAttic said:
"Actually kind of a shame this set is branded as 18+, because I'd be a perfect way for kids to learn about some of the milestones in the rich and ongoing history of the field of science. Especially given the sad fact that not every kid will learn these things in school or elsewhere...
But as a set, it's awesome. "
Nothing preventing kids under 18 from purchasing. They’re not going to check ID at the counter. Kids can and do build ‘Adults Welcome’ sets already. "
They're not prevented from anything of course, but I can imagine that the 18+ age ranking might be discouraging to a lot of kids -- or might prevent gift givers from buying it for kids. Teens might be more encouraged to buy such sets, but the black boxes likely will not appeal that much to most kids under 12. However, I hope this ends up in the hands of a lot of kids, despite it being marketed at adults.
@Rare_White_Ape said:
"Also it's fine to refer to Marie Sklodowska Curie as simply Marie Curie. That's what she's mostly known as. It's not disrespectful at all."
Let us try a thought experiment. Imagine a woman with a hyphenated surname. The first part is, say, African or Native American. The second part is English. She uses the whole two-part surname. And you write about her using only the second part. What do you think - what reactions would that cause? And would companies like Lego dare to do it?
Sklodowska is called Curie for two reasons. One - the times she lived in (as @PurpleDave mentioned). Second - the French practice of what we would now call cultural appropriation (Chopin is another example). Neither of these practices should continue today.
And for those who need a picture to understand - Maria Sklodowska Curie's Nobel Prize certificate:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Marie_Sk%C5%82odowska-Curie%27s_Nobel_Prize_in_Chemistry_1911.jpg
@Murdoch17 said:
"I didn't think he word 'Math' had an letter 'S' in it."
Mathematics? Maths is short for mathematics so why wouldn't it have an S. ?
@lordofdragonss said:
" @AlexanderTheGreat said:
"I hate this type of sets. STUFF"
Bro. I get you, I also hate "put stuff on shelf and leave it there" sets.
But this one? Not only its great partpack we get 3 great new figures and amazing minibuilds that you can use with figs. "
Almost any set is a great partspack. 2/3 minifigures are nice, sure. What amazing minibuilds? Lab equipment, flowers and a tree? Other builds are not in the scale.
@Montyh7 said:
" @Ottozone said:
" @LEGOlas____ said:
" @Indy24LA said:
"I will definitely get this... gotta support STEM right now any way I can."
donate a copy to your local library!"
Never encourage this folks. Don't waste money on libraries when you can download files of every book online for free. Donation is a bad financial decision unless you already have enough money in retirement investments that allow you to live comfortably. This is a minority of people, us majority should not donate money and definitely should not encourage it."
In every conceivable way, wow, just wow, what a take."
Never encourage this folks. Don't waste your thoughts on trolls who hate libraries when you can think ludicrously inane thoughts by yourself for free. Donation of metal energy to trolls is a bad financial decision unless you already have enough money in retirement investments that allow you to live comfortably. This is a minority of people. The majority should not donate their hard-won free time on trolls, and definitely should not encourage it.
@Arnoldos said:
"For all your pretence of not being sexist, you sure like the idea of a woman's identity being imposed by the man she marries.
It's not Marie Curie, she wasn't French, marrying a Frenchman didn't make her French. She was Polish and she herself used Maria Sklodowska-Curie as her signature. Stop with the disrespect."
By that standard, George Washington Carver should be referred to as George Carver or George W. Carver. He never used the Washington in his name and only selected it because he needed a middle initial to differentiate himself from another George Carver.
@PurpleDave said:
" @shedjed:
Again, most famous scientist, most famous female scientist, and (probably) most famous minority scientist. For Watson and Crick to be included, you'd have to skip over _many_ more prominent scientists, like Einstein."
Einstein was a minority scientist in every country in which he lived. The very reason he remained in the US in the 1930s was that he feared what might happen to him as a persecuted minority in his native Germany or his adopted Switzerland. As it happens, he would have been OK in Switzerland but that wasn’t obvious in 1933 when he settled in Princeton.
I think Emmy Noether (Noether Theorem! Widely considered to be one of and perhaps the most important woman in mathematics! Neither English nor American in a fairly English&American heavy set!), or Ada Lovelace (maths AND computers! good name recognition! Fights crime in an alternate universe!) would’ve been good picks for mathematics.
(Would I be over the moon delighted to get a Lego set for The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage, the graphic novel where Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace built the analytical engine and use it to fight crime? Yes, yes I would.)
@Murdoch17 said:
"I didn't think he word 'Math' had an letter 'S' in it.
Also Carver's watering can design is ingenious!"
Welcome to algebra!
@PurpleDave said:
" @xccj said:
"Design aside, the bee seems an odd choice to include. Is it because of the contribution of honey or pollination or something? I confess I'm drawing a blank on this one."
It's clearly a space bee. Space probe, space shuttle, space bee. Can someone start assembling a new crew? You know, just in case?"
Gee, usually the Futurama references here are less obscure.
@PurpleDave later said:"(see Hedy Lamarr)."
That's HEDLEY! Couldn't resist, but yes, Ms. Lamarr had brains as well as beauty. We might not have Bluetooth if not for her.
@legoDad42:
Heh. I started out on the right track with Research Institute, but got sidetracked by all the stuff that ties back to real people. Penny is the only TBBT main cast who is not a scientist. Bernadette is a microbiologist, and Amy is a neurobiologist. S27 also has a girl with a telescope.
@Zander:
Aside from George and Martha Washington, that surname has become the "blackest surname in America", by which I mean the vast majority (90%, according to the 2000 census) of people with that surname are black (like Booker T. and Denzel). This may explain why GWC picked that as a middle name, and also why he is exclusively referred to by his full name (the name Washington effectively having become code for "black").
And if you try to present Einstein as a minority (and especially if you try to present him as _the_ minority) in the US, you better make sure everything within ten feet of you is fireproof, because you are about to get flamed like you never have before.
@TheOtherMike said:
"Gee, usually the Futurama references here are less obscure.
I work with what I'm given."
Finally a Brian May minifig!
@PurpleDave said:
[[ @legoDad42:
Heh. I started out on the right track with Research Institute, but got sidetracked by all the stuff that ties back to real people. Penny is the only TBBT main cast who is not a scientist. Bernadette is a microbiologist, and Amy is a neurobiologist. S27 also has a girl with a telescope.]]]]
Ah, thx Dave! Will add the Astromer Kid to the mix.
@PurpleDave said:
" @shedjed :
Again, most famous scientist, most famous female scientist, and (probably) most famous minority scientist. For Watson and Crick to be included, you'd have to skip over _many_ more prominent scientists, like Einstein. With this trio, it's easy to explain his absence, since he'd have to bump Sir Isaac Newton off the podium. But if a second white man were to be included in this lineup, he seems the most obvious choice given that Galileo and da Vinci both have their own sets already.
@HOBBES said:
"There is a biologist, a chemist and a physicist (I know Marie Curie can count as both physicist and chemist). The mathematician is missing"
So are the technologist and engineer. It's just three scientists.
"a Carl Friedrich Gauss or Leonhard Euler would have been great - along with the Euler formula (e^(ip) + 1 = 0) on the chalkboard."
For a mathematician, I'd actually propose Brahmagupta. Amongst his myriad accomplishments, he was the first person known to recognize zero as a number in its own right, and not merely a placeholder for "lack of something". He also recognized and described how to perform math with negative numbers. His work is as foundational as Newton's three laws.
"I am also very surprised there is no telescope on this display (I suppose we got it with the Galileo tribute)."
Got one in the Research Institute, and a rather different style in Women of NASA.
"Just to nitpick a little bit for fun: The carbon orbitals are wrong (1s22s22p2) but I don't know how anyone could do it properly in Lego form even at a much bigger scale. It also seems that there are two sizes of protons and neutrons (3 big oranges, 3 big blues, 3 small oranges and 3 small blues should be 6 big oranges or blues and 6 small oranges or blues)."
I understand what you mean about them being two different sizes, but shouldn't that be "6 big oranges _and_ blues _or_ 6 small oranges _and_ blues"?
@Rare_White_Ape :
Yes. Modern English.
And in a day and age when so much focuses on how people want others to refer to them, it's difficult to justify using a name for her just because it's how she's most commonly known, if you are aware that she chose to use a different one. Did she exclusively refer to herself by the hyphenated form, or did she switch between them at times? Is the shortened form one that was forced upon her by the scientific community? Yes, when I was a kid, we only learned of her as "Marie Curie" or "Madame Curie". I don't even remember learning about her husband, so it wasn't even made clear to us at that time that this was not her birth name. There is a possibility that her Polish maiden name was suppressed during the height of the Cold War, what with Poland being one of the signatories to the Warsaw Pact. Or she was just publicly known as Marie Curie even during her lifetime because women were frequently dismissed within the scientific community (see Hedy Lamarr)."
Couple of points: Brahmagupta would also be very good! Al-Khwarizmi(algebra) would also be a good contender.
As for the carbon atom: the atomic mass for carbon is 12(.011) meaning 6 protons and 6 neutrons. Assuming you decide the big ones are the protons then 6 of them must be either blue or orange. this means that the remaining 6 small ones must be either orange or blue. That is why I am using the word AND. There must be six identical items of one kind (protons) AND 6 identical items of the other kind (neutrons). Preferably, they should be all the same size with 6 of one colour and 6 of a different colour.
@ra226 said:
" @HOBBES said:
" @ra226 said:
"As a fan of Madame Curie (see user name), I may have to--wait, is that Classic Space logo on the computer screen???"
Yep definitely a Classic Space Logo - this computer just increased tremendously in value!
"
Alas, looks like a sticker. I do like Madame Curie, though. Not seriously considering the set, but may have to see if I can at least get ahold of her, and the Ra tile. Ohhh--they should do a scientists CMF series. I'd be all in on that!"
I'd be all over a scientists CMF. Not enough praises for those people nowadays. Back in the days in England, engineers were celebrated, now the OBEs and knighthoods go mostly to singers and actors - nothing wrong with that - but I would rather do it as a trivial pursuit dial: we have 6 prizes (knight/OBE) per year, one in each of the categories.
@HOBBES:
Protons are slightly smaller than neutrons, but aren't they usually depicted as roughly the same size in atomic models? Electrons are the ones that are a mere fraction of the size. The closest you're likely to find regarding the relative size difference of protons and neutrons are the soccer ball and the zamor sphere, but the smaller neu/pro balls are comparable in size to the clip studs they're using to represent electrons. So, making one color voodoo balls and the other color, um...towballs I'm guessing? Anyways, that would not look like any atomic model I've ever seen. I didn't realize you were trying to make them different sizes, which is why I thought you mixed up your use of and/or.
@PurpleDave said:
" @HOBBES:
Protons are slightly smaller than neutrons, but aren't they usually depicted as roughly the same size in atomic models? Electrons are the ones that are a mere fraction of the size. The closest you're likely to find regarding the relative size difference of protons and neutrons are the soccer ball and the zamor sphere, but the smaller neu/pro balls are comparable in size to the clip studs they're using to represent electrons. So, making one color voodoo balls and the other color, um...towballs I'm guessing? Anyways, that would not look like any atomic model I've ever seen. I didn't realize you were trying to make them different sizes, which is why I thought you mixed up your use of and/or."
It's all just strings in the end. Use this:
https://brickset.com/parts/4544140/v-belt-%C3%B815-white
I like the set, I am not sure I like the price though.
Seems rather small for that amount of money.
We don't know how big the 3 in 1 Castle will be, but if it's anywhere near the size of the old one, 110 for that would be so much better.
@legoDad42 said:
" Penny is the only TBBT main cast who is not a scientist. "
And Howard. He is "just an engineer".
Newton and Curie make sense, but the third minifig is a literal who
Issac Newton didn't he work out Mavity!
@andthenwhat said:
"Newton and Curie make sense, but the third minifig is a literal who"
Only [O]ne of the most prominent black scientists of the early 20th century." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington_Carver
@Hiratha said:
"I think Emmy Noether (Noether Theorem! Widely considered to be one of and perhaps the most important woman in mathematics! Neither English nor American in a fairly English&American heavy set!), or Ada Lovelace (maths AND computers! good name recognition! Fights crime in an alternate universe!) would’ve been good picks for mathematics.
(Would I be over the moon delighted to get a Lego set for The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage, the graphic novel where Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace built the analytical engine and use it to fight crime? Yes, yes I would.)"
''You look like you could use an engineer'' - IKB
@Arnoldos said:
"and she herself used Maria Sklodowska-Curie as her signature.."
no, she used both "sklodowska-Curie" and "Curie"
Stop the misinformation
I wrote:
| Doesn't seem like pre-orders are actually available yet, at least in the UK
Looks like that's been fixed.
@Ridgeheart said:
" @andthenwhat said:
"Newton and Curie make sense, but the third minifig is a literal who"
And who are you blaming for your lack of knowledge here? Even if your schools have failed you, you have the entire internet at your fingertips to find out more."
I mean…GWC was an American, and _we_ only learn about him in February. Reading up on him, he didn’t invent crop rotation, as I’d been led to believe (that’s been going on for thousands of years). He did come up with some new ideas regarding that practice, but likely had more of a local impact than would warrant making him part of the history curriculum in Serbia.
@Ridgeheart said:
" @PurpleDave said:
" @Ridgeheart said:
" @andthenwhat said:
"Newton and Curie make sense, but the third minifig is a literal who"
And who are you blaming for your lack of knowledge here? Even if your schools have failed you, you have the entire internet at your fingertips to find out more."
I mean…GWC was an American, and _we_ only learn about him in February. Reading up on him, he didn’t invent crop rotation, as I’d been led to believe (that’s been going on for thousands of years). He did come up with some new ideas regarding that practice, but likely had more of a local impact than would warrant making him part of the history curriculum in Serbia."
I first learned of George Washington Carver in an episode of the Tick. You may take from that, whatever you like."
I believe I'll take...a spoon. Matter of fact, I'll take all the spoons.
Love the concept, but hate the name. Call it what it is, 'Science'.
Also, MAJOR FAIL having the DNA twist the wrong way. Recall and fix it fast LEGO, or look like a bunch of eejits.
@BelgianBricker said:
" @Arnoldos said:
"and she herself used Maria Sklodowska-Curie as her signature.."
no, she used both "sklodowska-Curie" and "Curie"
Stop the misinformation"
Is "she herself used Maria Sklodowska-Curie as her signature" not true if she also used the "Curie" version? Please respect logic.