Akhi's Bytes and NASA's Flights. Off to Mars

Let’s see if any of the names mean anything to you.Linda B. Buck, Elizabeth Blackburn, May-Britt Moser??No? How about these below?Serena M. Aunon, Jeanette J. Epps, Sandra Magnus.Still no, right!!?In a world where Kim Kardashian, Rihanna, and Katy Perry are what we have for role models, how do we go about inspiring little girls to aim for greatness? The first list of names contains some of the esteemed scientists who won the Nobel Prize in their chosen fields. The second list was that of a new generation of Astronauts. They are the women who climb into a rocket and fly all the way into space for the purpose of science, and we don’t even recognize their names. How do we teach them there is this whole wide world for their taking and they don’t just have to be glam dolls and look pretty? That their greatest asset is not just their beauty and good looks, but their amazing brain and their character.America, which was once the citadel of greatness in Science and Engineering, has sadly fallen behind in the past few decades. With Hollywood relentlessly making fun of anything and anyone “smart” with shows like “The Big Bang Theory” and a host of nerd comedies, it is impossible for kids, both boys and girls, to be excited by science. When the young minds show even hints of scientific curiosity, the society and media is quick to label them “geeks” and pretty much ostracize them socially. It became ok for these kids to be bullied in school. It’s much cooler to be someone who can throw a ...