Thursday, June 2, 2016
Beamers
The tour of BMW was a fantastic look at the modern assembly line. I was really surprised by the level of technology that was involved with the line. The robots on the line were really impressive. The versatility of the robots, which had six joints, made them able to move in nearly every possible way. The robots could also open the hood, trunk, and doors. This made me a bit worried thinking about robots with intelligence. Our tour guide told us that men could not do the accurate welding that the robots could do and that helped increase the speed of the line with less flaws to the vehicle. It was really fascinating to see the robots in action. In contrast, near the end of the line it was all people doing the final work like installing the interior. This kind of surprised me, hut then I realized that the end of the line work was more intricate with the individual accessories needed in each specific car. Overall, I was really impressed with the tour of the plant.
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
Munich Planetarium
Although the weather wasn't ideal, our trip to the Munich Planetarium was really fun! We started off by going into a projector room with a rather entertaining tour guide. Not only did we learn more about the stars and planets, but we got to listen to Pink Floyd too. The guys who run the planetarium are some quirky people, but you can tell they are very passionate about what they do. Seeing their enthusiasm made me more interested in what they had to say.
I really liked getting to see the telescopes, even if we didn't get to actually use them. I thought it was funny that the "newer the telescope, the smaller the building". The newest telescope was really interesting, because it doesn't look like a traditional one. Our guide for that part of the tour was pretty awesome as well. Not only did he like to sing, but he held an obscure World Record! Overall, a cool experience.
Planetarium in Munich
On Monday night we went to a little observatory. It was really neat to see an observatory that was run by a small group of astronomers as a club. For being a club I was surprised at just how much they had at their place but I think the coolest thing was their planetarium.
The first thing we did at the observatory was go to this planetarium where one of the club members took us on a tour of the night sky. He was very knowledgeable in the way that he turned the lights down a little to let us adjust and then turned off all the lights to bring out the stars perfectly. The entire experience was astounding and I'm glad that we were able to be in that room for so long touring the night sky from all over the world.
The first thing we did at the observatory was go to this planetarium where one of the club members took us on a tour of the night sky. He was very knowledgeable in the way that he turned the lights down a little to let us adjust and then turned off all the lights to bring out the stars perfectly. The entire experience was astounding and I'm glad that we were able to be in that room for so long touring the night sky from all over the world.
Max Planck Institute for Physics
The Max Planck Institute for Physics was probably one of the most academic based tours we had on our trip. It was very interesting to learn about the complex experiments that they are conducting, even if it went above my head quite a few times. It was fascinating to learn how their experiments may have large impacts on the way we thing about particles.
What I found difficult to wrap my head around was the precision needed to conduct their experiments. I think that it is crazy that they can create a setting where particles will collide at an exact location. I didn't realize that that kind of planning and precision was possible. I also found it very interesting to hear about all the thought put in to setting up an experiment, that the researchers have to compromise the ideal settings for their experiments to make it possible to create the settings. Overall, I thought this tour was a very interesting look into the true workings of physics research.
What I found difficult to wrap my head around was the precision needed to conduct their experiments. I think that it is crazy that they can create a setting where particles will collide at an exact location. I didn't realize that that kind of planning and precision was possible. I also found it very interesting to hear about all the thought put in to setting up an experiment, that the researchers have to compromise the ideal settings for their experiments to make it possible to create the settings. Overall, I thought this tour was a very interesting look into the true workings of physics research.
Max-Planck-Institute for Physics
On our last day in Munich, we visited the Max Planck Institute for Physics. Upon arriving, we sat through an hour long, essentially physics lecture, on the history of the institute and the projects that were being worked on. The whole time I was nerding out about particle physics! We got to see a model of the ATLAS experiment and learn about all the sensors that made it up. One example was the silicon semiconductor tracker which measures the trajectories of charged particles and finds their momentum. After the tour, I chatted with the guide to possibly get a tour of CERN while I'm on my trip...how awesome!!! Hopefully that all falls into place. Overall, it was really cool to see the things that I've learned about in my classes coming to life! It was especially cool to see the scientist's labs were as messy as our labs on campus!
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
To Be, or Not to Be a "Beamer"
The BMW factory tour was by far one of the coolest experiences on this trip from a technology standpoint, as it showcased what a modern (as well as prestigious) company is capable of in terms of manufacturing. From their incorporation of nearly 900 multipurpose robot arms to using electrostatically-charged emu feathers to clean the car exterior before each coat of paint, there are many ways how this company sets itself apart from the rest.
We received a walking tour of parts of the two mile long factory line, and saw procceses like the chassis being assembled, body being painted, components getting assembled onto the vehicle, and even the final product driving off the line into the rail car for transport.
Another cool aspect of the company in their painting section is that they do not use air pressure to paint the exterior of the vehicle body. Instead, the paint is simply flung out of a rotary nozzle, and implemented with a positive charge, making the paint cling towards the body (which was previously negatively charged) and apply extremely even and smooth.
Overall, the BMW facility lived up to the hype, and I definitely see why they are coined with the motto, "The Ultimate Driving Machine".
We received a walking tour of parts of the two mile long factory line, and saw procceses like the chassis being assembled, body being painted, components getting assembled onto the vehicle, and even the final product driving off the line into the rail car for transport.
Another cool aspect of the company in their painting section is that they do not use air pressure to paint the exterior of the vehicle body. Instead, the paint is simply flung out of a rotary nozzle, and implemented with a positive charge, making the paint cling towards the body (which was previously negatively charged) and apply extremely even and smooth.
Overall, the BMW facility lived up to the hype, and I definitely see why they are coined with the motto, "The Ultimate Driving Machine".
BMW Plant Tour
The BMW plant tour was everything I hoped for and more. It was amazing to see what makes BMW vehicles so outstanding. From the materials they use to all the technology they are using to make these vehicles. It was really cool to actually see the reinforced steel on the side of the care before it was all covered up with other metal and trim. It was interesting that they do not make one model at a time. Instead, they are all mixed up for painting and timing purposes. For instance, it will take longer to make a car that has more accessories than a base model so they put those two close together to average the time.
The showroom was really cool too. It was cool to see all the different cars they make. I had no idea BMW made Rolls Royce. I am a huge fan of BMW's M series and they had almost every one of those on the floor except the M3 which is one of my dream cars. In all, the BMW tour was awesome and now I understand what makes BMW's the "ultimate driving machine." Plus it was really cool that we had class between the BMW factory and the Olympic stadium.
The showroom was really cool too. It was cool to see all the different cars they make. I had no idea BMW made Rolls Royce. I am a huge fan of BMW's M series and they had almost every one of those on the floor except the M3 which is one of my dream cars. In all, the BMW tour was awesome and now I understand what makes BMW's the "ultimate driving machine." Plus it was really cool that we had class between the BMW factory and the Olympic stadium.
BMW
When we went to BMW I didn't really know what to expect but getting to see how the cars are assembled was absolutely incredible! By far my favorite part was learning about all of the steps taken to apply the paint. I found it interesting that they use ostrich features that are charged to paint the cars more efficiently.
I also found it interesting that there were so many robots that cost around a hundred thousand dollars or more depending on the features. However I was surprised to learn that most of the engine work was done by workers for bigger engines like the one in the Rolls-Royce. I also liked the fact that the cars had the micro chips that talk to the robots to tell it what features it has like the number of doors etc. I could only imagine how much the microchips increase productivity.
I also found it interesting that there were so many robots that cost around a hundred thousand dollars or more depending on the features. However I was surprised to learn that most of the engine work was done by workers for bigger engines like the one in the Rolls-Royce. I also liked the fact that the cars had the micro chips that talk to the robots to tell it what features it has like the number of doors etc. I could only imagine how much the microchips increase productivity.
The BMW Experience
We got to visit BMW today and view their plant and showroom. They definitely keep their high end appearance with the atmospherics of the showroom. It has a very clean and modern look to it with a lot of white space. They show cased some of their newer and older cars to show where BMW started and where they are now. Another really cool aspect of the showroom was the motorcycles and sport bikes that you could sit on. I think it is really cool for people visiting that may never buy one, but it is also good for those who are looking to buy one, so they get to test them.
The plant tour was one of the best parts because we got to see the cars starting from a piece of metal to a beautiful car that just came off of the assembly line. I was most amazed at how large the plant was and how they can move the car parts throughout the different buildings while being built. In the buildings we walked through there were parts constantly moving in every direction. The tour guide told us that this way of operation was very efficient for making cars and as new technology continues to come out they will be looking for ways to make their manufacturing process even more efficient. Overall, seeing the BMW showroom and plant was very enjoyable and I learned a lot about the manufacturing of cars.
The plant tour was one of the best parts because we got to see the cars starting from a piece of metal to a beautiful car that just came off of the assembly line. I was most amazed at how large the plant was and how they can move the car parts throughout the different buildings while being built. In the buildings we walked through there were parts constantly moving in every direction. The tour guide told us that this way of operation was very efficient for making cars and as new technology continues to come out they will be looking for ways to make their manufacturing process even more efficient. Overall, seeing the BMW showroom and plant was very enjoyable and I learned a lot about the manufacturing of cars.
A Trip To The BMW
This past Monday, we took a trip to the BMW Welt and manufacturing plant here in Munich. I didn't really know what to expect when we first got there, I honestly thought we were just visiting the museum and the show room and that would be it. We ended up receiving a tour of the manufacturing plant along with free time to explore the Welt. I am usually not a car person, but I thought the manufacturing plant and being able to watch a car be created from start to finish was an amazing experience. I have never seen something like that before and I thought the entire process was intriguing. My favorite part was watching the color be applied to the vehicles. There was just something so entertaining about watching a silver frame of a vehicle go through a machine and watch it be sprayed with color. Overall I had a great time at the BMW plant and would definitely go again!
Munich Observatory
On Monday, May 30th, we went to Munich's Observatory. When we went to the planetarium, the room was lit brightly. Our guide then dimmed the lights to simulate the setting of the sun gradually revealing more and more stars as the sky became darker. Our guide then explained why great wonders can be seen away from the lights of the city. That really made me realize that the advancements of technology has its negatives. The bigger and bigger our cities get, the more light pollution hinders us from seeing the wonders of the sky. Now you can only observe them far away from the city. I found this thought very interesting since this course is on the history of science and technology. This night really opened my eyes to see the negative of the advancement of technology.
Monday, May 30, 2016
Bavarian Observatory
Even with rain and a cloudy sky the Bavarian Observatory was really cool. We got to see the night sky as it is truly supposed to look along with learning about the planets and some interesting information about them. To top it all off we saw a couple of telescopes, but due to weather we didn't get to use them.
I really liked learning about planets and there differences about them. One example is that Jupiter is a giant cloud of gas and that if there is a surface is it pretty small. The cool part is that the scientific community believes thereally might be metallic hydrogen near the center. I don't Raju understand how this works but I find it fascinating. Overall our guides were really funny and interactive with the group making it a great experience!
I really liked learning about planets and there differences about them. One example is that Jupiter is a giant cloud of gas and that if there is a surface is it pretty small. The cool part is that the scientific community believes thereally might be metallic hydrogen near the center. I don't Raju understand how this works but I find it fascinating. Overall our guides were really funny and interactive with the group making it a great experience!
Sunday, May 29, 2016
Nanotechnology
Walking down into the nanotechnology room, we had no idea how interactive and encompassing it would be. It was absolutely amazing! It covered everything from research to manufacturing, and there was a section on carbon nanotubes. Having done research with carbon nanotubes as transistors this past year, it was fascinating to see them along with their manufacturing process as we made nanotubes at Platteville was different than the way they did. Overall, the exhibit had many interactive features such as: touch screen glass displays, booths to sit and listen in multiple languages about the history, and buttons to automate the machines! I definitely could have spent much more time in this exhibit!
Dachau
There aren't words that can describe the eerie feeling you get when you walk in the gates of Dachau. Hearing the stories growing up you really don't realize what a large scale everything was on, but everything was put into perspective Friday. The hardest part personally was seeing the crematorium. The guide told us that the prisoners building the second crematorium realized what they were building during the process. They recognized the gas chambers being put in and knew that only meant mass murder. To try and stop these from getting used, they built the structure as slow as they possibly could to try to delay the horror. Seeing humanity shine through, no matter how much the Nazis wanted to dehumanize them, was truly touching.
Dachau Concentration Camp (Memorial)
On Friday, May 27, we had the privilege of visiting and touring the Dachau concentration camp, which is now a memorial and museum. I have to say, I was a bit dissapointed at first, simply because I thought it was going to be much more intense then what it was. However, as I mentioned earlier, it really now is a memorial to remember all those lives that were lost, so I guess it makes sense that there wasn't anything really graphic. However, it definitely was very eye opening! Just to think that I was stepping on the same ground that many people lived in and died, it gave me the chills. Not to mention, it was very ironic that at the time during the tour, I was really hungry, and my stomach just kept rumbling the whole time. But that just made me even more depressed, simply because I knew that right after the tour I was going to be able to eat at the cafe there. Where as back then, the people that used to live there felt the same way that I did at the moment, just for longer periods, without knowing when they would be able to eat, and when fed, were limited and had very poor diets.
Till then,
-Ivan Almendariz
The Beauty of Dachau
On our day trip to Dachau I was surprised at many things and moved in different ways than I thought I would be for visiting a concentration camp. I've always heard stories from people about how going to one of these camps had a lasting affect on you and gave a differs perspective on the war. Dachau had some of that affect but overall it was not like that at all.
The first thing that struck me about Dachau was that it was a extremely pleasant place. This camp is nestled just outside of the small city of Dachau in the beautiful countryside. There is a small canal that runs along the side of he camp and the Main Street of the camp is lined with amazing trees. It was overall very hard to believe that about 41,000 people died there in just a matter of about 12 years. Now the reason for that was that Dachau was meant to be the model camp for the concentration camps so that anyone who was visiting or was taking pictures would generally capture a view of a relatively nice looking place. The parts that were very moving and unpleasant were the crematorium and the solitary confinement areas. Each of these held a strong feeling of sadness.
Overall our trip to Dachau was an interesting look back at history and included a pleasantness that I was not expecting.
The first thing that struck me about Dachau was that it was a extremely pleasant place. This camp is nestled just outside of the small city of Dachau in the beautiful countryside. There is a small canal that runs along the side of he camp and the Main Street of the camp is lined with amazing trees. It was overall very hard to believe that about 41,000 people died there in just a matter of about 12 years. Now the reason for that was that Dachau was meant to be the model camp for the concentration camps so that anyone who was visiting or was taking pictures would generally capture a view of a relatively nice looking place. The parts that were very moving and unpleasant were the crematorium and the solitary confinement areas. Each of these held a strong feeling of sadness.
Overall our trip to Dachau was an interesting look back at history and included a pleasantness that I was not expecting.
Religious Memorials at Dachau
Touring the Dachau memorial was one of the sites I was most looking forward to on this trip. I have learned a lot about this part of World War II. I had a semester long class on the Holocaust in high school which left a large impact on me. I remember my teacher telling stories about when she visited a concentration camp while on a study abroad trip in college and I never thought that I would get the same opportunity to have a first hand experience like that.
During our free time to look around the concentration camp one of the places that I looked at were the religious memorials. I looked at both the Catholic and Jewish memorials and I was surprised to see how artistic and detailed they were. The Catholic memorial was a cylindrical structure made of stones with an alter in the center. From inside the memorial you could look out and down the main road. It was very weird that when you stood in the middle of the memorial you could here people outside clearly talking and walking. The Jewish memorial was also very interesting. This memorial was built into the ground so it was very cool and damp in the memorial. From inside the memorial you could look up to see a hole in the ceiling where light came down and you could see the menorah that was on top of the memorial. It was interesting that some of the memorial was made to look like barbed wire. It was very interesting to see how much detail was put into these memorials and to know that these memorials were built because the survivors from the concentration camp wanted them there.
During our free time to look around the concentration camp one of the places that I looked at were the religious memorials. I looked at both the Catholic and Jewish memorials and I was surprised to see how artistic and detailed they were. The Catholic memorial was a cylindrical structure made of stones with an alter in the center. From inside the memorial you could look out and down the main road. It was very weird that when you stood in the middle of the memorial you could here people outside clearly talking and walking. The Jewish memorial was also very interesting. This memorial was built into the ground so it was very cool and damp in the memorial. From inside the memorial you could look up to see a hole in the ceiling where light came down and you could see the menorah that was on top of the memorial. It was interesting that some of the memorial was made to look like barbed wire. It was very interesting to see how much detail was put into these memorials and to know that these memorials were built because the survivors from the concentration camp wanted them there.
Mines, mines, and more mines!
So today was our second time visiting the Deutsches Museum, since its so huge, that our visit on Thursday was not enough to see everything. Unlike Thursday though, today we concentrated on the History of Medicine, Pharmaceutics, and Disease, which was really interesting, considering I'm studying medicine myself. However, my favorite exhibit of the whole museum was definitely the underground mines! One, they did such a great job putting that whole exhibit together, that it was so realistic, and it actually seemed like I was underground in a mine. But two, I also loved how they put the exhibit in chronological order, meaning, when you first started the exhibit you got to see what the mines were before, and as you went on, you eventually got to see how the mines are today. So really, it was a big timeline.
Furthermore, the information and sculptures in the exhibit made me realize how lucky I am where I am today, simply because I got see what harsh conditions these men used to work in. For example, how they had to carry every single item on their own from the top (land), all the way deep into the ground (future mine). Not to mention, the danger they went through everyday just to make a living! Considering a lot of people died often, simply because grenades or explosives were found while digging, and if someone accidentally hit one, boom! And that was that! I also found it very interesting though that they even eventually lowered horses for harder labor, and for pulling more heavy stuff. But again, it was sad to see because eventually the horses ran out of oxygen and died. So overall, it was just eye opening to see how they built these beautiful mines, but yet, I never thought about the work it took to get the end product. So hopefully I won't ever have to go through something like that in the near future.
XOXO
-Ivan Almendariz
Dachau Memorial
On Friday, we went to the Dachau Memorial. I was pretty excited for this site because my great grandmother was in a concentration camp with her brother & his wife during the time Stalin was in power in the Soviet Union. They got out & moved to England where she eventually met my great grandfather. She never really talked about it but I remember my mom telling me about it & basically not to bring it up. I was very curious to see something related to how she would have lived during that time & what she had to go through because I could never ask her.
I like that our tour guide was honest with us that basically parts of Dachau were just propaganda. I had never thought of those parts as that so it was very enlightening.
It was very interesting to me that German students have to visit the memorial. After our tour guide told us this you understood why some kids were just not paying attention to their guide or being rudish; they were forced to be there. Also, when our tour guide told us that some students don't see it as "that bad," because they have the radiators in the prisons I was appalled. What the victims had to go through was horrible & for them to brush it off bothered me.
What I didn't expect was to feel like they were toning it down. I've been to the Holocaust Musuem in Washington D.C before & it's really in your face with sadness and it's really traumatic. Plus they really focus on the most horrible parts of the history opposed to how I felt at Dachau. It was still saddening & eye opening but I felt like it wasn't horrible or traumatic; they just tell you the simple history. Not saying that the history itself isn't tragic & horrible but they just didn't play solely on that. I don't know if it's because it's simply a memorial or if it's because we're in Germany, and they don't want to delve too deep into how horrible it was.
Overall, it was a great experience & it was interesting to see the history of Dachau even though it was not what I expected.
I like that our tour guide was honest with us that basically parts of Dachau were just propaganda. I had never thought of those parts as that so it was very enlightening.
It was very interesting to me that German students have to visit the memorial. After our tour guide told us this you understood why some kids were just not paying attention to their guide or being rudish; they were forced to be there. Also, when our tour guide told us that some students don't see it as "that bad," because they have the radiators in the prisons I was appalled. What the victims had to go through was horrible & for them to brush it off bothered me.
What I didn't expect was to feel like they were toning it down. I've been to the Holocaust Musuem in Washington D.C before & it's really in your face with sadness and it's really traumatic. Plus they really focus on the most horrible parts of the history opposed to how I felt at Dachau. It was still saddening & eye opening but I felt like it wasn't horrible or traumatic; they just tell you the simple history. Not saying that the history itself isn't tragic & horrible but they just didn't play solely on that. I don't know if it's because it's simply a memorial or if it's because we're in Germany, and they don't want to delve too deep into how horrible it was.
Overall, it was a great experience & it was interesting to see the history of Dachau even though it was not what I expected.
Saturday, May 28, 2016
Dachau Today
My visit to the Dachau memorial helped me realize the importance and hardships of the life in the Concentration Camp during World War 2. From both our knowledgeable your guide and from traversing the large historical exhibit afterwards, much was learned, from the life of those imprisoned to the nature of the ones who imprisoned others.
Walking through a barracks and imagining myself trying to live in such a compartment, cramped and overcrowded (the barracks were roughly 8 to 10 times more occupied than designed) place, I found it very difficult to realize, especially when some of the individuals had to endure those kinds of living conditions for years.
Overall, I will always remember this experience, and the scale of this memorial (especially when your realize that this was only ONE camp) will always create a sense of endearment and respect in my heart.
Walking through a barracks and imagining myself trying to live in such a compartment, cramped and overcrowded (the barracks were roughly 8 to 10 times more occupied than designed) place, I found it very difficult to realize, especially when some of the individuals had to endure those kinds of living conditions for years.
Overall, I will always remember this experience, and the scale of this memorial (especially when your realize that this was only ONE camp) will always create a sense of endearment and respect in my heart.
In memoriam
"Think about how we died here." Translated from German, this quote is inscribed on the stone by the crematorium in Dachau concentration camp. Although people did not die in the crematorium itself, this quote urges visitors to remember the lives that were lost at Dachau. The day we visited Dachau was sunny and beautiful, however, the atmosphere of the camp was eerie. Although renovations and rebuilding has occurred, much of the camp seems frozen in time.
The building that struck me the most was the prison bunker. The bunker housed cells for troublesome inmates, as well as special prisoners like religious and political leaders. Each cell's layout is an example of the Nazi's propoganda attempts. The cells are fitted with a heat register, as well as a toilet. However, neither were actually hooked up for use. Similarly, there was a medical examination room and kitchen that "proved" how well the prisoners were treated. Even though the day was warm, the stone buidling was cold. I can only imagine how much colder it would have been in winter.
Learning about the Holocaust is important, so that the horrors of the past will not be repeated. Unfortunately, humans are still committing acts of unfathomable atrocity against one another. Visiting a place like Dachau helps put these acts into perspective. The statue of the unknown prisoner in Dachau reads "To honor the dead, to warn the living". I hope the victims can rest in peace, knowing that every person who enters Dachau now will honor that wish.
The building that struck me the most was the prison bunker. The bunker housed cells for troublesome inmates, as well as special prisoners like religious and political leaders. Each cell's layout is an example of the Nazi's propoganda attempts. The cells are fitted with a heat register, as well as a toilet. However, neither were actually hooked up for use. Similarly, there was a medical examination room and kitchen that "proved" how well the prisoners were treated. Even though the day was warm, the stone buidling was cold. I can only imagine how much colder it would have been in winter.
The Propaganda of Dachau
Touring Dachau was a really sobering event. I had learned about concentration camps during school, but actually setting foot in on of them really puts the events that happened into perspective. While the systematic killings that took place are truly horrific, the German use of propaganda to legitimize the camps was really frightening. As our tour guide explained to us how the Nazi regime advertised the camp as a way to keep unwanted criminals out of the general public and to help keep Germany safe from foreign and internal enemies. The opening of the camp was even announced in the newspaper and an opening ceremony was even held. This fact came as a complete surprise to me, as I had always thought the camps were kept a secret from the German people and the world.
The way in which the camp was setup was even surprising, had I no idea this was a concentration camp I would have thought it to be sort of beautiful with its long road down the center of the camp lined with trees. But in reality this look that the camp has is all meant for use in propaganda to show the world how well prisoners at the camp were treated and taken care of. This is a truly chilling twist of propaganda. The tour guide explained to us that the propaganda was so masterful that the truth was even obscured even after the full details of what took place in the camp came to light.
Overall, I was truly in awe of the German propaganda and how effective it was. It really makes me wonder what a government is capable of when used for malicious purposes. It also is a reminder that a people in a democratic country must always be vigilant and educated on what a government can do. This makes me a little paranoid about what my own government is doing and how much we as people know about it.
Submarines
I spent a good deal of my free time in the shipping section of the museum. Aside from the part of our tour with the fascinating explanation on the start of the industrial revolution in England because of the lack of trees, I found a ton of interesting exhibits in the shipping section. In this exhibit, many types of submarines were on display from early examples to modern deep sea submersibles. One of the coolest submarines that i saw was a one seat sub that looked like absolute hell to have operated. The sub looked like a minature version of a World War I type sub. It was so tiny and cramped inside it that trying to get around in it to run or fix anything seemed to be nearly impossible, especially if it were myself being so tall. I could not imagine trying to operate that submarine by myself and having no one else to talk with or for help if it was needed.
The second submarine I spent a lot of time at was the World War I full-sized u-boat. It was displayed with sections of the hull cut out to show the interior of the sub. I never really realized how tight and cramped the sub was. The other suprising thing that the sub contained was batteries. There must have been nearly a 100 batteries stuffed into to every nook and cranny in the midship area. This was important because the ship ran on battery power underwater because the diesel engine could only be used on the surface. Because of this fact, submarines of this time period could only stay underwater for limited periods of time. Once the batteries run out, the boat needed to surface to recharge the batteries. Another fun fact I learned was that the u-boats were faster on the surface than underwater. The diesel engines that could be used on the surface were much more powerful than the electric motors that were used underwater. I found this section to be the most interesting of what I saw in the museum.
The second submarine I spent a lot of time at was the World War I full-sized u-boat. It was displayed with sections of the hull cut out to show the interior of the sub. I never really realized how tight and cramped the sub was. The other suprising thing that the sub contained was batteries. There must have been nearly a 100 batteries stuffed into to every nook and cranny in the midship area. This was important because the ship ran on battery power underwater because the diesel engine could only be used on the surface. Because of this fact, submarines of this time period could only stay underwater for limited periods of time. Once the batteries run out, the boat needed to surface to recharge the batteries. Another fun fact I learned was that the u-boats were faster on the surface than underwater. The diesel engines that could be used on the surface were much more powerful than the electric motors that were used underwater. I found this section to be the most interesting of what I saw in the museum.
Nano-Propulsion for the Win
From our recent visit to the Deutsches Museum, I not only learned lots from our guided tour, but had enough time to explore a few of the other exhibits located in the huge museum. One of, if not the exhibit that amazed me the most was the Nanotechnology and Biotechnology section. Here, not only was the place looking as though set in the future, but it was designed to be incredibly interactive to a widespread audience. In this case, for me not having a huge background with the material, I found it easy and very interesting to learn more about the subject.
Aside from technology-ridden glass touchscreen cabinets, I found an exhibit that showcased the movement of bacteria and other lifeforms on a nanoscale, and compared two common types of moment patterns for animals that move in water. This is important to showcase because at a nanoscale, water is the consistency of honey. Through this experiment, I found that flagella driven propulsion, similar to the way a corkscrew works, is way more effective than the common screw-like propulsion, which makes sense, because flagella and other various bacterium operate by the better method and are designed that way for an abvious reason. I can't wait to go back to see what else the Museum has to offer...
(picture from DM website here)
Friday, May 27, 2016
Dachau Concentration Camp
Going to the Dachau Concentration Camp was a site I will never forget. Just being on the grounds and knowing that I walked in the camp a free person, while so many others walked into that camp as a prisoner. I was very surprised that people who joined the SS volunteered for it and thought what they were doing was helping society. They were able to leave the SS any time they wanted, but very few did. The cruelty of the SS towards the prisoners was very intense and caused unimaginable pain.
The toughest part for me was seeing the crematorium. Knowing that these ovens were built to burn dead and beaten bodies was a lot to take in. Normally when I think of ovens, I think of cooking in the kitchen with my family and the smell of freshly baked cookies. It was really tough to know that these ovens were created for the destruction of people, instead of the love and warmth of family and friends.
The toughest part for me was seeing the crematorium. Knowing that these ovens were built to burn dead and beaten bodies was a lot to take in. Normally when I think of ovens, I think of cooking in the kitchen with my family and the smell of freshly baked cookies. It was really tough to know that these ovens were created for the destruction of people, instead of the love and warmth of family and friends.
Dachau
Dachau was very humbling. Our tour guide was very good. She gave the site respect and gave us tons of information not only about Dachau but also other concentration camps. It was interesting when she was explaining how she has to explain things differently to other nationalities, I never thought of that how there would be such a language barrier trying to communicate in a language that both parties don't even use as a first language.
What really hit me the hardest was the gas chambers and crematorium. I can not imaging what that seen would have looked like when they were in use. It is terrible enough that they were even made but the prisoners themselves had to make the structures. Just walking though the building was very over whelming.
I am glad we went to Dachau and saw first had what a concentration camp looked like and how they worked, but I can not say I would ever visit another one.
What really hit me the hardest was the gas chambers and crematorium. I can not imaging what that seen would have looked like when they were in use. It is terrible enough that they were even made but the prisoners themselves had to make the structures. Just walking though the building was very over whelming.
I am glad we went to Dachau and saw first had what a concentration camp looked like and how they worked, but I can not say I would ever visit another one.
Mind (and glass) Blowing Time at the Deutches Museum
On Thursday we went to the Duetches Museum. While there I got to see a ton of amazing things and not even close to the entire museum. During our free time I think one of the most interesting parts was the glass technologies section.
This section talked a lot about how glass making techniques have evolved throughout time. It was very interesting to see the passage of different manufacturing processes that I had learned about in other classes evolve from simply glass blowing to injection molding. On top of all of that the museum had a glass blower on site that was making a different glass trinkets to sell. It was really cool to watch this very old art style taking place right before my eyes. Overall the Duetches Museum was a great experience and I look forward to being there again very soon for our second day.
This section talked a lot about how glass making techniques have evolved throughout time. It was very interesting to see the passage of different manufacturing processes that I had learned about in other classes evolve from simply glass blowing to injection molding. On top of all of that the museum had a glass blower on site that was making a different glass trinkets to sell. It was really cool to watch this very old art style taking place right before my eyes. Overall the Duetches Museum was a great experience and I look forward to being there again very soon for our second day.
Taking Flight at the Deutches Museum
On Thursday the site we visited was the Deutches Museum. I really enjoyed our guided tour about the industrial revolution. Our tour guide was very funny and had a lot of information on the topic. I am looking forward to our second tour of the museum with this guide on Sunday.
During our free time I tried to look at as many sections of the museum as possible. One of the sections that I enjoyed looking at was the aeronautics exhibit. This exhibit showed the progress of human flight from studying birds to modern airplanes. This exhibit also featured other methods of flight such as hot air balloons and even kites. I really liked that this exhibit included something for everyone to enjoy. It had models, information, dioramas, and some interactive pieces. My favorite part of this exhibit was seeing model planes and actual planes like the Wright brothers plane. It is crazy to think how far we have come in the last hundred years to continue to improve on the Wright brothers initial planes.
During our free time I tried to look at as many sections of the museum as possible. One of the sections that I enjoyed looking at was the aeronautics exhibit. This exhibit showed the progress of human flight from studying birds to modern airplanes. This exhibit also featured other methods of flight such as hot air balloons and even kites. I really liked that this exhibit included something for everyone to enjoy. It had models, information, dioramas, and some interactive pieces. My favorite part of this exhibit was seeing model planes and actual planes like the Wright brothers plane. It is crazy to think how far we have come in the last hundred years to continue to improve on the Wright brothers initial planes.
The Mining Exhibit
This past Wednesday we took a trip to the Deutsches Museum. The first part of the tour centered around physics and general information about the industrial revolution, along with a presentation. Once we had our free time, I was able to go explore a couple of different exhibits, which included the airplane exhibit, the biotechnology exhibit and the mining exhibit. The reason I am deciding to talk a little about the mining exhibit is because I have never visited a museum like it before.
One of the reasons the mining exhibit stuck out to me is because it made you feel like you were truly walking down a mine. The architecture, sounds, and temperature of the exhibit gave you a real example about how the miners had to live and what conditions they had to live in while they were working. We were able to see different examples about how miners got down the mines, along with transportation of injured miners. One of the images that stook out to me the most was how they transported animals. There was an image of two horses being chained wrapped up together and being drawn down towards the bottom of the mine. The mines were even complex enough to have their own stables and living options down there. We were also able to see a difference between how mines were constructed back in the 1800s compared to how they are constructed today.
Overall I had a great time at this exhibit and it is an exhibit I would love to visit again
One of the reasons the mining exhibit stuck out to me is because it made you feel like you were truly walking down a mine. The architecture, sounds, and temperature of the exhibit gave you a real example about how the miners had to live and what conditions they had to live in while they were working. We were able to see different examples about how miners got down the mines, along with transportation of injured miners. One of the images that stook out to me the most was how they transported animals. There was an image of two horses being chained wrapped up together and being drawn down towards the bottom of the mine. The mines were even complex enough to have their own stables and living options down there. We were also able to see a difference between how mines were constructed back in the 1800s compared to how they are constructed today.
Overall I had a great time at this exhibit and it is an exhibit I would love to visit again
Remembering Dachau
Today's site visit consisted of us visiting the small town of Dachau, which also is home to the first concentration camp built during World War II. My topic for my research paper was Dachau Concentration Camp from 1939 to 1945. Prior to the visit, I knew a little background history about the camp itself along with the treatment of the prisoners. For our trip to Germany, this was one of the visits I was most looking forward to, not because I did my research paper on it, but because I've had a general interest in World War II and the Holocaust since I was middle school.
Even though a lot of things stuck out to me during our visit at Dachau. The main points that stuck with me throughout the visit was the brutality that was taken against the prisoners along with the treatment of women. We were able to see the barracks where they showed the progression from the housing options from the beginning and prior to 1939 all the way to the libration, where the camp started from around 3,000 prisoners to over 60,000. This influx of prisoners brought less food rations to go around along with an increase of diseases among the prisoners. The prisoners also had to deal with punishments for their actions that included flogging, hanging, death, etc. There were even testimonies that stated that prisoners would go as long as four days without consuming at food. One thing that stood out to me that I didn't know when I was conducting my research about Dachau was about the treatment of women. I found that Dachau was mainly a concentration camp for males, and didn't have any women up until the late 1944s. The women at Dachau were treated equally to men and received similar punishments. Women who came in to the camp pregnant were forced to receive abortions, up until the beginning of 1945 where they would let some of the women come to full term.
Overall, going and seeing the Dachau concentration camp memorial was an experience that I will remember.
Even though a lot of things stuck out to me during our visit at Dachau. The main points that stuck with me throughout the visit was the brutality that was taken against the prisoners along with the treatment of women. We were able to see the barracks where they showed the progression from the housing options from the beginning and prior to 1939 all the way to the libration, where the camp started from around 3,000 prisoners to over 60,000. This influx of prisoners brought less food rations to go around along with an increase of diseases among the prisoners. The prisoners also had to deal with punishments for their actions that included flogging, hanging, death, etc. There were even testimonies that stated that prisoners would go as long as four days without consuming at food. One thing that stood out to me that I didn't know when I was conducting my research about Dachau was about the treatment of women. I found that Dachau was mainly a concentration camp for males, and didn't have any women up until the late 1944s. The women at Dachau were treated equally to men and received similar punishments. Women who came in to the camp pregnant were forced to receive abortions, up until the beginning of 1945 where they would let some of the women come to full term.
Overall, going and seeing the Dachau concentration camp memorial was an experience that I will remember.
A Cry of Hope
Today we visited the first concentration camp during the 12 year Nazi rule, Dachu. At first, I was preparing myself for a really heart wrenching day, but surprisingly I was cool, calm and collected...for the most part. The documentary is what really got to me, and seeing the graphic images of the events that occurred in the camp. Even more so, however, when I was looking around the museum by myself for a while, I came across an interesting part that I did not expect to see.
In the main section of the museum, there were two panels displaying the music and the poetry of the camp. The music was a little emotional for me, because the Nazi party would try to use music as a form of mockery and insults towards the prisoners, and I think music is something that can be really sacred and important to someone. But what really made me burst out into tears and gasp was the poetry panel. One of the displays read "In the camp I made a meaningful discovery: No power exists in the world that is capable of destroying humans as spiritual beings". After reading that, I cried out in hope, that even know there are terrible people in the world, who do horrible things, mankind will still believe and not lose their sense of happiness. That is one of the things I tell myself all the time, even after every heart break, do not give up on love. And to see that in such a LARGER scale, really impacted me.
In the main section of the museum, there were two panels displaying the music and the poetry of the camp. The music was a little emotional for me, because the Nazi party would try to use music as a form of mockery and insults towards the prisoners, and I think music is something that can be really sacred and important to someone. But what really made me burst out into tears and gasp was the poetry panel. One of the displays read "In the camp I made a meaningful discovery: No power exists in the world that is capable of destroying humans as spiritual beings". After reading that, I cried out in hope, that even know there are terrible people in the world, who do horrible things, mankind will still believe and not lose their sense of happiness. That is one of the things I tell myself all the time, even after every heart break, do not give up on love. And to see that in such a LARGER scale, really impacted me.
The Wright Brothers Take Flight!
On our first full day in Munich, we went to the famous Deustsches Museum. With over 80 exhibitions inside, the museum is the largest science and technology based attraction. The exhibitions range from different fields such as aeronautics, marine navigation, astronomy, physics, and even glass blowing! How fun! We had a guided tour with the main topic being the start of the industrial revolution. Our tour guide was outstanding! He was so knowledgeable and it seemed like you could ask him any question and he would know the answer to it!
After our guided tour, we were able to explore the museum on our own. We only got two hours which seemed like a lot at the time, but after walking around and deciding what to see, two hours is definitely not enough time! With the little time I had, I really wanted to see the Wright Brothers plane that actually took flight! Our tour guide had said that the plane is probably the most expensive item that they had, and that to me is amazing in itself. When seeing the flying machine in person, I was so in awe of the idea that the plane was actually flown by the Wright Brothers, how amazing is that?! It really made me think of all the hard work that must have gone into inventing an airplane. It's something that I take for granted sometimes, but oh yeah, without a plane I would have had to get to Europe by ship. And as much as I love ships, I don't think I would want to be on one for nine months. So thank you Orville and Wilbur for your amazing flying machine!
After our guided tour, we were able to explore the museum on our own. We only got two hours which seemed like a lot at the time, but after walking around and deciding what to see, two hours is definitely not enough time! With the little time I had, I really wanted to see the Wright Brothers plane that actually took flight! Our tour guide had said that the plane is probably the most expensive item that they had, and that to me is amazing in itself. When seeing the flying machine in person, I was so in awe of the idea that the plane was actually flown by the Wright Brothers, how amazing is that?! It really made me think of all the hard work that must have gone into inventing an airplane. It's something that I take for granted sometimes, but oh yeah, without a plane I would have had to get to Europe by ship. And as much as I love ships, I don't think I would want to be on one for nine months. So thank you Orville and Wilbur for your amazing flying machine!
Deutches museum - Mathematics
The Deutches museum is an overwhelming complex of the history of science and technology. Although I saw many interesting exhibits, my favorite one (so far) was the math room. The math room itself was overwhelming with multitides of instruments. From marine navigational tools to cryptography, the math exhibiton seemed to contain just about every component of math ever.
I am continually amazed at the ingenious pursuit of math that occurred in the past. The piece that captured my attention the most was a counting machine. The counting machine could not only do additon and subtraction, but also multiplication! How is that even POSSIBLE?? Today, I probably know more about general math than the inventors of such machines did (as far as applying math in various ways), but I can't begin to imagine the depth of their knowledge and expertise in their fields. To see such inventions is awe inspiring, and really humbling. We take technology for granted, when we really should be marveling at all the efort it took to get us here.
I am continually amazed at the ingenious pursuit of math that occurred in the past. The piece that captured my attention the most was a counting machine. The counting machine could not only do additon and subtraction, but also multiplication! How is that even POSSIBLE?? Today, I probably know more about general math than the inventors of such machines did (as far as applying math in various ways), but I can't begin to imagine the depth of their knowledge and expertise in their fields. To see such inventions is awe inspiring, and really humbling. We take technology for granted, when we really should be marveling at all the efort it took to get us here.
How can something so simple be so complex? -Deutsche Museum
The Deutsche Museum was absolutely huge! I only made it through a couple floors of exhibits and I enjoyed every minute of it. The one exhibit which I was most drawn to was the Marine Navigation exhibit. They had a very large ship at the center, probably from around the 17th century, that was cut in half so you could see what the inside of the boat looked like. This was very neat because we
got to go on a similar replica of a ship back in Amsterdam.
The other really neat part about the exhibit was all of the different knots that they had on display and how they used them on a ship. For example, they had knots they would use specifically if they were tying rope to a metal ring or if they needed the knot to give a little more slack. They also had some very decorative knots displayed that looked hard to tie! Even though it seems like a silly detail to write about, I think that is why I was so drawn to it. There are things that I see or use everyday that sometimes I don't stop and think how complex they are, like a knot.
The other really neat part about the exhibit was all of the different knots that they had on display and how they used them on a ship. For example, they had knots they would use specifically if they were tying rope to a metal ring or if they needed the knot to give a little more slack. They also had some very decorative knots displayed that looked hard to tie! Even though it seems like a silly detail to write about, I think that is why I was so drawn to it. There are things that I see or use everyday that sometimes I don't stop and think how complex they are, like a knot.
Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial
On Friday, May 27th, we were able to tour the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site. As soon as we approached the gate, there was a feeling that could not be replicated anywhere else. To be walking on the same path where so many innocent lives were taken was intense. We went through the bunkers, barracks, and crematorium, and it was awful the way the prisoners were treated! I will not forget what our tour guide said about the roll coll area. Out of all the horrible conditions the prisoners were in, the roll call area was said to be the worst because they were forced to stand completely still and say nothing. They could not help their neighbors or use the bathroom. To be degraded so low like that must have been difficult! This experience will truly be one that stands out in my trip to Europe.
Dachau concentration camp
Going to visit the concentration camp was not what I expected. I did not realize that the camp was so large and had different components like the SS training camp, the prisoners camp and the crematory in a separate area. I thought the concentration camp was going to be one large area so it was surprising when everything was separate and there was also trees that had been planted by the prisoners. Also it was surprising to learn that even after the war some Germans did not know that the prisoners were innocent people and should have never been taken captive and were unaware of the terrible things that occurred at the concentration camps, due to all of the propaganda. Also, I couldn't imagine being in one of the camps and surviving and having to prove that you were there to receive aid from the country. I also found it interesting that gas chambers were put into Dachau since it was used for propoganda and so many people knew the camp was there.
I also found it intersting when our guide said that the Catholic Church helped the Nazi's escape after World War Two was over. Likewise, I was surprised when she said how few Nazi's and other people involved were charged and prosecuted.
In the one of the exibits I watched numerous videos of interviews with survivors. A lot of the videos talked about the different colored triangles that were used to identify different groups for example Political prisoners had red triangles, "professional criminals", or convicts had green triangles and lastly a lot of the interviewees talked about the Johovah's Witnesses that wore purple triangles. I found this last part in particular very interesting because I did not realize that there was Johovah's Witnesses in the concentration camps and one guy said that they were told that if they hailed to Hitler then they would be freed but none of them would abandon their religious views and were therefore killed.
Overall this site was extremely challenging to be at due to the number of people killed and abused here but it was nice that it was turned into a memorial site to honor the people who lost their lives.
I also found it intersting when our guide said that the Catholic Church helped the Nazi's escape after World War Two was over. Likewise, I was surprised when she said how few Nazi's and other people involved were charged and prosecuted.
In the one of the exibits I watched numerous videos of interviews with survivors. A lot of the videos talked about the different colored triangles that were used to identify different groups for example Political prisoners had red triangles, "professional criminals", or convicts had green triangles and lastly a lot of the interviewees talked about the Johovah's Witnesses that wore purple triangles. I found this last part in particular very interesting because I did not realize that there was Johovah's Witnesses in the concentration camps and one guy said that they were told that if they hailed to Hitler then they would be freed but none of them would abandon their religious views and were therefore killed.
Overall this site was extremely challenging to be at due to the number of people killed and abused here but it was nice that it was turned into a memorial site to honor the people who lost their lives.
Life Underground
On Thursday we went to the Duetsches Museum, a Musuem so large you can't even finish it in one day, unless your crazy! At the Deutsches Musuem in Munich, during my free time I explored the Mine exhibit which was a progression of how life working in the mines was, what kind of technology was used, etc. throughout history. I found it very fascinating because of Platteville's rich history in mining as well. I have never toured the mining Museum in Platteville but now when I go back I plan to to see where we fell on the spectrum within the Duetsches Musuem in Munich.
Everything in the mines was so interesting because to remember that's how most people made a living back then is crazy. It was so rough, tough & dangerous. Also, the fact that they brought horses down there with them was insane! To be able to ensure that the ceiling wasn't going to collapse on you any second must have been nerve racking, & they just went back day after day like it was nothing. To think what they found in the mines was something so valuable to them must have made everything worth it in the end.
Overall, the parts of the Museum we saw were amazing & I cannot wait to go back on Sunday to see more!
Everything in the mines was so interesting because to remember that's how most people made a living back then is crazy. It was so rough, tough & dangerous. Also, the fact that they brought horses down there with them was insane! To be able to ensure that the ceiling wasn't going to collapse on you any second must have been nerve racking, & they just went back day after day like it was nothing. To think what they found in the mines was something so valuable to them must have made everything worth it in the end.
Overall, the parts of the Museum we saw were amazing & I cannot wait to go back on Sunday to see more!
The Deutsches Museum: Nanotechnology
On Thursday, March 26th, we went to the Deutsches Museum. The museum was very large, and we couldn't even finish it that day. We had time to roam the museum on our own, and my favorite part so far was the Nanotechnology exhibit.
Aside from being so interactive, I found it incredible how technology has advanced to the nano world. In the Eye of the Beholder, people from that time were amazed that microscopes could magnify around 50 times, but now a Transmission Electron Microscope can magnify up to 10,000,000 times!
With the help of nanotechnology, we have made new discoveries of things so minute like the anatomy of a cell! I can only imagine how Leeuwenhoek would have reacted to that!
Aside from being so interactive, I found it incredible how technology has advanced to the nano world. In the Eye of the Beholder, people from that time were amazed that microscopes could magnify around 50 times, but now a Transmission Electron Microscope can magnify up to 10,000,000 times!
With the help of nanotechnology, we have made new discoveries of things so minute like the anatomy of a cell! I can only imagine how Leeuwenhoek would have reacted to that!
The Camp
Today we went to Dachau, which was a really interesting experience. Our tour guide told us about the history and how this camp was used as a model and propaganda model. I found interesting since it was a big cover up for how prisoners were really getting treated. Some things the Nazi's did would put radiators in rooms but no control knob so it looked like the prisoners were going to have a heated room during winter, but they more more likely turn the heat on during hot summer days to make it even more miserable. Some of the other things were how the camp was destroyed and rebuilt and converted to a refuge camp and then back to the memorial. I found this very interesting since I was expecting to see the original barracks and stuff but only replicas of them along with all outline of all the foundations was left.
One thing I did was just stand in the parade ground for about 10 minutes in the hot sun to see what it was kind of like although it was nothing close to what the prisoners experienced. It was very out out side today around 80 degrees F. It was very uncomfortable and then know that the prisoners would have to do this on even hotter days for hours and during the extreme cold of winter really put a perspective in mind of the horrors that they faced. I really found it disturbing that people would do this along with the mass murder of people and the other horrible things the Nazi's did to people.
One thing I did was just stand in the parade ground for about 10 minutes in the hot sun to see what it was kind of like although it was nothing close to what the prisoners experienced. It was very out out side today around 80 degrees F. It was very uncomfortable and then know that the prisoners would have to do this on even hotter days for hours and during the extreme cold of winter really put a perspective in mind of the horrors that they faced. I really found it disturbing that people would do this along with the mass murder of people and the other horrible things the Nazi's did to people.
Windmills
I thought the windmill display was awesome. I never new what original windmills looked like. It is amazing that they made them for only one direction of the wind. Then it slowly progressed to Dutch windmills, which we actually saw last week. It was cool to see something that we have already seen on this trip.
I also learned how an eclipse system windmill works, or like an old west windmill. It has a collapsing mechanism that if the wind is to strong the blades will fold up so the structure doesn't tip over.
It was also interesting how Alex was talking about how Germany had taken down most of their windmills and now they are putting them back up.
I also learned how an eclipse system windmill works, or like an old west windmill. It has a collapsing mechanism that if the wind is to strong the blades will fold up so the structure doesn't tip over.
It was also interesting how Alex was talking about how Germany had taken down most of their windmills and now they are putting them back up.
The national museum of science and technology in Munich
This place was amazing! The exhibits were very realistic and some were very interactive! In my free time I went the aero exhibit and the maritime exhibit. I really excited to go through the maritime exhibit after we went to one in Amsterdam. I learned about the evolution of the ship design and of the steam engine am came into play on ships. I was really interesting to see all the model ships that were on display and made it easier to see what I was reading being applied in the model form.
One of the ships in read about was the Victory, she was a gigantic man of war class ship to be used in the 7 year war. This ship had over 100 cannons, and is now a museum! I found this amazing that this ship was never engaged due to its shear size! I have attached a picture showing the size of this ship!
One of the ships in read about was the Victory, she was a gigantic man of war class ship to be used in the 7 year war. This ship had over 100 cannons, and is now a museum! I found this amazing that this ship was never engaged due to its shear size! I have attached a picture showing the size of this ship!
Thursday, May 26, 2016
Telescopes in Germany :)
After visiting the Sonnenborg Observatory and reading about Galileo, it was interesting to see more telescopes at the Deutsches museum. The first telescope that I encountered at the museum was just before the physics room on one of the many rooms in the museum. This telescope was built at Joseph Von Franchifer's Optical Institute in 1829. This telescope is the second largest refractor and was used to discover the planet Neptune in1845 by Johann Gottfrield Galle in Berlin. He was able to found Neptune due to the precise calculations of a French astronomer who had observed irregularities in the orbit of the planet Uranus.
I also was able to see and actually use some telescopes in the astronomy room on one of the upper levels of the museum. I really like that they had small lasers on the other side of the room so that when you look through the telescope you would see the small laser and it was to mimic what it would be like if you saw a star in the sky.
Overall, it was a really good time at this museum! I am so glad we get to go back on Sunday. I can't wait to go on another great tour with our fantastic tour guide and learn about medicine and any other cool things that we find out on our own.
Overall, it was a really good time at this museum! I am so glad we get to go back on Sunday. I can't wait to go on another great tour with our fantastic tour guide and learn about medicine and any other cool things that we find out on our own.
Monday, May 23, 2016
Utrecht University Museum: An Idea
On Saturday, May 21st, we visited the Utrecht University Museum. It was amazing to learn about all the discoveries done during the time when science was a hit or miss. The part that really stood out to me was the "experiment" room. This room really showcased the process that scientists used to discovery various things. Sometimes ideas proved right, but sometimes they didn't. The example the tour guide presented really stood out to me. She showed a big boot that was used to drain blood from the bodies of people with mental diseases. People at the time believed that if you drained the "bad blood" of these people, they would be cured. Turns out, this method just killed a lot of people, but it was an important step in science! I realized that I never thought of science in that way, and I really appreciated the fact that I am entering a field that will always bring me ideas to test!
University Museum
By far, this is probably one of my favorite sites so far. I loved how this museum was not only very educational, but interactive as well! Not to mention, the many things we learned, starting from how people went around about conducting experiments, all the way into actually showing us how their experiments were performed! However, the exhibit that stood out to me the most was the anatomy room. I'm studying Animal Science with a pre-vet emphasis, so the fact that I got to actually see some real preserved animal bodies...was awesome! Not to mention, the way that procedures were done in the past, blew me away! I can't imagine what it would be like to sit in a anatomical theatre, and just look down at someone or a group of people opening up a dog or horse or whatever it is that they were working on, and then have a part of that animal be passed around for everyone to have a even closer look! I don't know about you, but I would totally pay to see that!
Though, my favorite part of the museum was definitely the garden. I love nature, so I don't mind being outside, EVER! But this was my favorite part of the tour not only because we were outside, but because I've never seen anything like it! Specifically, because it holds one of the oldest trees ever! And according to our tour guide, that's simply because those specific type of trees have a very strong odor that many people don't like, so they end up chopping the trees. However, this one specifically is still up, and will continue to stay because it's a gender neutral tree! Meaning, it has both parts of a male, and female, and therefore the odor is neutral. Pretty neat huh? So hopefully further down this trip we get to visit more places like this one, which had a lot of things to look at and explore outside!
Till then,
Ivan Almendariz
Though, my favorite part of the museum was definitely the garden. I love nature, so I don't mind being outside, EVER! But this was my favorite part of the tour not only because we were outside, but because I've never seen anything like it! Specifically, because it holds one of the oldest trees ever! And according to our tour guide, that's simply because those specific type of trees have a very strong odor that many people don't like, so they end up chopping the trees. However, this one specifically is still up, and will continue to stay because it's a gender neutral tree! Meaning, it has both parts of a male, and female, and therefore the odor is neutral. Pretty neat huh? So hopefully further down this trip we get to visit more places like this one, which had a lot of things to look at and explore outside!
Till then,
Ivan Almendariz
Your Own Home Planetarium
The Planterarium of Eise Eisinga
First off, this planetarium was absolutely amazing and to still be functioning since the 1700s is just mind boggling. An interesting part of keeping it functioning was the weight system that was in the closet, that needed to be reset during certain times to keep the system running in perfect timing. The other thing that was maintained is the wonderful blue paint and the beautiful art on all the dials and read outs.
The amount of detail and intricacy involved was really neat to see. I think the guide said over 10000 nails were used in the gears and mechanisms that make the whole system work and I could not imagine having to cut and set all of those nails, especially with the precision needed to keep the whole planetarium functioning accurately. The other amazing fact is that Eisinga built the entire planetarium with only the help of his father, it is no wonder that's it took 7 years to finish. It also floors me a bit that Eisinga did all the math and was able to create a fully functional planetarium, especially having to change the system from a 60 second pendulum to a 80 second pendulum because the pendulum was too long for his wife's liking.
I really enjoyed seeing the interactive displays that you could look through of Eisinga's original blueprints. I find it really interesting that most of the people involved in science at the time are really good artists too. The drawings and schematics in his book are beautiful as well functional drawings of his planetarium. Overall, this site visit was really jaw dropping and really gave me a sense of wonder that one person, with hard work and dedication, can really just about do anything when they are motivated.
First off, this planetarium was absolutely amazing and to still be functioning since the 1700s is just mind boggling. An interesting part of keeping it functioning was the weight system that was in the closet, that needed to be reset during certain times to keep the system running in perfect timing. The other thing that was maintained is the wonderful blue paint and the beautiful art on all the dials and read outs.
The amount of detail and intricacy involved was really neat to see. I think the guide said over 10000 nails were used in the gears and mechanisms that make the whole system work and I could not imagine having to cut and set all of those nails, especially with the precision needed to keep the whole planetarium functioning accurately. The other amazing fact is that Eisinga built the entire planetarium with only the help of his father, it is no wonder that's it took 7 years to finish. It also floors me a bit that Eisinga did all the math and was able to create a fully functional planetarium, especially having to change the system from a 60 second pendulum to a 80 second pendulum because the pendulum was too long for his wife's liking.
I really enjoyed seeing the interactive displays that you could look through of Eisinga's original blueprints. I find it really interesting that most of the people involved in science at the time are really good artists too. The drawings and schematics in his book are beautiful as well functional drawings of his planetarium. Overall, this site visit was really jaw dropping and really gave me a sense of wonder that one person, with hard work and dedication, can really just about do anything when they are motivated.
He Built a What in His House??
Last Friday we traveled a long journey to Franeker, a small country sized city in The Netherlands. During our trip there, we saw many things that sparked my interest. A few things were a bridge that actually turned about 90 degrees in order for ships to access the canal, different style of architecture, and a few shops along the way. What really sparked my interest though was the idea of a planetarium inside a Dutch home.
Eise Eisiang, a man from Franeker, decided that he was going to build a completely functional planetarium inside of his living room. The space used for the planetarium was where his family would sit, and actually sleep! What was so amazing though was that the planetarium is still accurate to this very day. Not only does it make a beautiful ceiling for the sitting room, but it also displays several things related to the sky and the stars above. A quick example would be that the phases of the moon, alignment of the planets, and an accurate date are still being marked on his ceiling, even after hundreds of years!
Eise Eisiang, a man from Franeker, decided that he was going to build a completely functional planetarium inside of his living room. The space used for the planetarium was where his family would sit, and actually sleep! What was so amazing though was that the planetarium is still accurate to this very day. Not only does it make a beautiful ceiling for the sitting room, but it also displays several things related to the sky and the stars above. A quick example would be that the phases of the moon, alignment of the planets, and an accurate date are still being marked on his ceiling, even after hundreds of years!
Observatory
Our experience at the observatory was both unique and interesting. Yet again, Adam and Liz used their connections to get us a tour like none other. Not only did we get to explore the museum part of the observatory, but we got to see for ourselves how to use telescopes. My favorite part of using the telescopes was getting to see both new and old techniques. Although it was cloudy, it was still great to try to see signs and other landmarks!
There was something even more special about the Galilean telescopes we used. Tiemann, our guide for both the observatory and storage facility, made the reproductions himself! (Is there anything he CAN'T do?) I learned more about the evolution of telescopes and technology in a really fun and interesting way. It was definitely worth the long night to experience how people long ago saw the night.
There was something even more special about the Galilean telescopes we used. Tiemann, our guide for both the observatory and storage facility, made the reproductions himself! (Is there anything he CAN'T do?) I learned more about the evolution of telescopes and technology in a really fun and interesting way. It was definitely worth the long night to experience how people long ago saw the night.
Sonnenborgh Observatory
Saturday night after visiting the Utrecht Univeristy Museum, we climbed to the top of the Sonnenborgh Observatory. Our guide had built some Galilean modeled telescopes. These scopes, though made of PVC pipe, allowed the user to see a distant object by the use of a concave and convex lense system. The objective lense, which was the convex lense, had a focal length of about a meter. The eyepiece lense, or concave lense, had a much smaller focal length of merely millimeters. This system of lense cause the image to be non-inverted and magnified. Since there was cloud coverage for most of our viewing time, we viewed some neon signs in the distance. Finding objects with these telescopes was much harder than one would imagine. It really put it into perspective that since you need to know what you are looking for before use, Galileo must have had a frustratingly difficult time. The second set up, a Kepler telescope, was a system of 2 concave lenses with the objective lense having a larger focal length (4 meters). The eyepiece lense had a focal length similar to that of the Gallilean eyepieces. This system creates an inverted but magnified image which we saw with the neon signs being upside down. This set up was challenging to find the object since you had to move the lens in the opposite direction you would expect, due to the inversion. It was amazing to be able to see the way Galileo did. Before leaving, we all got a chance to look through the observatory's main telescope (from 1854). It was an amazing experience all together!
Through the Lens: Utrecht
What did we do? Nothing less than look through both a replica of a Galilean telescope and an original 19th century telescope (which was updated from manual to motor controls in a recent renovation). This telescope was used for important discoveries and we were lucky to have the ability to look through such a powerful instrument!
Both replicas we looked through were of a refracting Galilean design, however they differed in terms of lens magnification. The first was formed with a convex lens close to the eye and a concave at the far end of the tube to give a roughly 13x optical magnification. The other was more powerful with a 21x magnification, and was built the same way at a different focal length.
Similarly, we got to look through two stationary concave lenses without a tube (in replication of even a further innovation in telescope history). This image, although inverted, was the most clear and, once at the correct focal length, was of a higher quality picture.
It was easy to see the difference between the designs by looking at neon signs on building rooftops.
Overall, I very much enjoyed seeing beyond what could be seen with the naked eye from the observatory rooftop.
Zonnenburg Observatory
On Saturday evening we toured the Zonnenburg Observatory in Utrecht. This site was very interesting because we not only got a tour of the observatory, we were able to try out a few telescopes. The replica Galileo telescopes were a little difficult to use at first. It was a change to realize that I had to move my eye or the telescope to focus instead of being able to turn a gear to focus the lens on what I wanted. It was also difficult once you found something through the telescope to steady the telescope long enough to get a good look. I could barely make out the letters in a neon sign on a building, I have no idea how Galileo made any of his discoveries with an instrument like this. It is crazy to think that the scientists in Galileo's time made these world changing discoveries with instruments like these telescopes.
The other telescope we were able to look through was the one in the observatory itself. It was really fascinating to see and hear from the tour guide how every aspect of the observation room was created to be able to use the telescope in the best way possible. In the observation room two hatches opened on the ceiling. This make it possible to use the telescope to look anywhere from one end of the ceiling to the other in a arch from front to back. To be able to see anywhere else that the ceiling covered, the entire ceiling rotated around moving the exposed hatch to anywhere someone desired look at with the telescope. It was very interesting to see the innovations that enables people to use this observatory to its full extent.
The other telescope we were able to look through was the one in the observatory itself. It was really fascinating to see and hear from the tour guide how every aspect of the observation room was created to be able to use the telescope in the best way possible. In the observation room two hatches opened on the ceiling. This make it possible to use the telescope to look anywhere from one end of the ceiling to the other in a arch from front to back. To be able to see anywhere else that the ceiling covered, the entire ceiling rotated around moving the exposed hatch to anywhere someone desired look at with the telescope. It was very interesting to see the innovations that enables people to use this observatory to its full extent.
Zonnenburg Observatory
On Saturday evening after spending an exciting and beautiful afternoon in Utrecht, our group went to the Zonnenburg Observatory to try out some telescopes. The first section of our trip was a short presentation of the history of telescopes and then the fun stuff began. We went up to the roof where they had set up for us some replicas of Galileo's telescopes for us to try. It was very interesting to use these relics of the past. I think it would have been even cooler if it were a clear night and we could take our shot at using them to see the moon but it was too cloudy and being able to use them to read signs on the other side of town was fun too.
Next we went to their observatory to see the telescope they had there. This telescope was from the late 1800's and was actually used as a practice telescope for students since astronomy was better done on a mountain because it is often cloudy in Utrecht. We had the chance to look through this telescope at a distant church steeple.
Overall, our experience at Zonnenburg Observatory was extraordinary thanks to a great experience with telescopes and two amazing guides.
Next we went to their observatory to see the telescope they had there. This telescope was from the late 1800's and was actually used as a practice telescope for students since astronomy was better done on a mountain because it is often cloudy in Utrecht. We had the chance to look through this telescope at a distant church steeple.
Overall, our experience at Zonnenburg Observatory was extraordinary thanks to a great experience with telescopes and two amazing guides.
Sunday, May 22, 2016
Eise Eisinga's Planetarium
Eise Eisinga's Planetarium was spectacular. Who know something like this existed in such a little town? Franaker is such a cute little town in the Netherlands; it reminded me of Platteville. When we got there we had free time for lunch and a couple of us decided just to eat right there in the Planetarium's Cafe & it was quite delicious. Also, the cafe was just beautiful.
When the tour started it was nice that we were just off on our own exploring because it was cool to see all of the things that went into the planetarium & Eisinga. The room where they show the wool was sort of out of place but when our guide explained when we got to the actual presentation it all made sense. His family needed to do that to make money so he could build the amazing planetarium that still works today.
The planetarium was so beautiful it was almost breathtaking. When you thought back to when you explored the room where all the gears are you were just amazed & how he did everything himself was the craziest part. Everything was so perfect and intricate, and just the idea that it still works today & even accounts for leap year is astonishing. Just goes to show you never know what you're going to find in the smallest places.
When the tour started it was nice that we were just off on our own exploring because it was cool to see all of the things that went into the planetarium & Eisinga. The room where they show the wool was sort of out of place but when our guide explained when we got to the actual presentation it all made sense. His family needed to do that to make money so he could build the amazing planetarium that still works today.
The planetarium was so beautiful it was almost breathtaking. When you thought back to when you explored the room where all the gears are you were just amazed & how he did everything himself was the craziest part. Everything was so perfect and intricate, and just the idea that it still works today & even accounts for leap year is astonishing. Just goes to show you never know what you're going to find in the smallest places.
Animal and Human Anatomy at the University Museum
The Utrecht University Museum was a very neat part of the trip! My favorite part was the room that explored human and animal anatomy. They had many different items preserved such as an elephant heart, human disfigurations, and many animal bodies. It amazed me that even one hundred years ago medicine was advanced enough to know and understand how to preserve items. Science and medicine has come very far since then, but that is greatly due to the people from the past for their discoveries.
Another cool part about that exhibit was the dentistry history. I thought it was really neat that they showed the way that dentists used to learn to work on patients and how they do now. The way that they used 3D machines to learn how to operate on patients was very advanced, in my opinion. Overall, the museum was really interactive and a great learning tool for science and medicine.
Another cool part about that exhibit was the dentistry history. I thought it was really neat that they showed the way that dentists used to learn to work on patients and how they do now. The way that they used 3D machines to learn how to operate on patients was very advanced, in my opinion. Overall, the museum was really interactive and a great learning tool for science and medicine.
A Day in Utrecht: The University Museum
We began our day trip in Utrecht by attending a tour with the Utrecht University Museum. The Museum consisted of many parts, including a human anatomy section, archeology section, physics section and parts of a botanical garden. Though I found all of the exhibits incredibly interesting, when it came to our free time, I came back to the exhibit I wanted to have a longer look act: the human anatomy exhibit.
The human anatomy exhibit was split into different parts for each row. For example, Row C was dedicated to blood circulation while Row F was dedicated to abnormalities and diseases. The first thing that caught my eye was Row C, which had a heart that only consisted of the blood vessels. I have never seen anything like this before and I thought it was the most interesting, and oddly beautiful thing, I had ever seen. The row also consisted of items including the complete circulatory system of a dog along with being able to spot your own blood vessels in your hand with an interactive machine. Another part I enjoyed was learning about the biology of conjoined twins. The row had many examples ranging from humans to animals with a wide variety of abnormalities that went along with the conjoined fetuses. Some examples include a lamb with seven legs, two infants conjoined by the head and chest and twins conjoined by the neck. I believe that these are important to showcase because it allows students to get a better view of human biology and what exactly the human body is made of and what the human body can do. I also believe that it plays a large part in history because these abnormalities can lead to further research in regards to medicine and surgical procedures that could lead to saving lives and curing diseases.
So far, the University Museum was my favorite site to see in The Netherlands and I hope to visit it again one day!
The human anatomy exhibit was split into different parts for each row. For example, Row C was dedicated to blood circulation while Row F was dedicated to abnormalities and diseases. The first thing that caught my eye was Row C, which had a heart that only consisted of the blood vessels. I have never seen anything like this before and I thought it was the most interesting, and oddly beautiful thing, I had ever seen. The row also consisted of items including the complete circulatory system of a dog along with being able to spot your own blood vessels in your hand with an interactive machine. Another part I enjoyed was learning about the biology of conjoined twins. The row had many examples ranging from humans to animals with a wide variety of abnormalities that went along with the conjoined fetuses. Some examples include a lamb with seven legs, two infants conjoined by the head and chest and twins conjoined by the neck. I believe that these are important to showcase because it allows students to get a better view of human biology and what exactly the human body is made of and what the human body can do. I also believe that it plays a large part in history because these abnormalities can lead to further research in regards to medicine and surgical procedures that could lead to saving lives and curing diseases.
So far, the University Museum was my favorite site to see in The Netherlands and I hope to visit it again one day!
Tour of Planatarium of Eise Eisinga
The tour of the Planetarium was amazing. I was expecting to just see some guys living room with hanging planets. The museum itself was cool. There were so many little things to look at and it was very interactive. The room where we learned about how Elise Eisinga made a living making wool yarn. It was interesting to see he did have the most extravagant career, but was self taught in everything he did.
However when we saw his living room with the planetarium I realized this was something special. The planetarium did everything; all the planets moved, it was still telling the date even in 2016, the moons phases, when the sun would rise and set. Also, everything above the living room was jaw dropping. All the intranet gear work that had to be done by only Eisinga and his father. The lady that gave the tour of the room was very sweet to. She always had a smile and she really knew her stuff. It was cool how she said she grew up in Franeker and when she was a little girl she would come in once a year to see where the plants were. She gave the process of how often the weights needed to be re-pulled and how often the whole system had to be cleaned. In all, I believe we learned a lot from that tour and have a better appreciation for what Elise Eisinga did in his living room.
However when we saw his living room with the planetarium I realized this was something special. The planetarium did everything; all the planets moved, it was still telling the date even in 2016, the moons phases, when the sun would rise and set. Also, everything above the living room was jaw dropping. All the intranet gear work that had to be done by only Eisinga and his father. The lady that gave the tour of the room was very sweet to. She always had a smile and she really knew her stuff. It was cool how she said she grew up in Franeker and when she was a little girl she would come in once a year to see where the plants were. She gave the process of how often the weights needed to be re-pulled and how often the whole system had to be cleaned. In all, I believe we learned a lot from that tour and have a better appreciation for what Elise Eisinga did in his living room.
University Museum
This site was another one of my favorite museums. I especially loved the floor that had all the different categories inside the room such as the teeth room, the reproduction room, the heart room and more. One interesting thing that I found in the cartilage and bone room was that there is an 1880 lungfish that can breathe outside of the water because it has two lungs, however it also has gills to breathe underwater. I also found the heart room very interesting where I found an instrument that they use to inject veins with plastic, so tissue could be removed.
In a side room I found a mold of a skull that they use before advanced medical technology where they would make a mold of a patient's brain and then map on the mold where they are going to be doing the surgery, so they could have a physical representation of the persons brain and where they needed to go in to cut during surgery.
Also, I liked going outside to see the botanical garden and I really found it interesting when she talked about the tree with leaves that looked like white tissues. I was surprised when I asked her if the flower fell off with the white tissue part of the leaf and she said that they did because I thought the white tissue part just protective the flower and then when the flowers was ready to bloom it would just fall off and then the flower would stay on the tree during its full bloom.
In a side room I found a mold of a skull that they use before advanced medical technology where they would make a mold of a patient's brain and then map on the mold where they are going to be doing the surgery, so they could have a physical representation of the persons brain and where they needed to go in to cut during surgery.
Also, I liked going outside to see the botanical garden and I really found it interesting when she talked about the tree with leaves that looked like white tissues. I was surprised when I asked her if the flower fell off with the white tissue part of the leaf and she said that they did because I thought the white tissue part just protective the flower and then when the flowers was ready to bloom it would just fall off and then the flower would stay on the tree during its full bloom.
Saturday, May 21, 2016
Utrecht University
Of the past sites Utrecht University, was one of my favorites. The university is used to teach about scientific discovery. The some exhibits are changed out about every 2 years too so it keeps changing. While there we went through 4 main rooms. There was a general science room which had the scientific method and lots of examples in it. One cool example in it was running current through a foil triangle to make it float in air. This would have aroused a lot of questions back in the day and was a great example how the method works.
Another one of my favorite parts was the collection room. This is where prizes from wealthy people from the VOC Era had prizes brought back with them. One of the prizes was a replica of a dinosaur skeleton. Another one with a cool story behind it was a dragon was brought back! Although dragons don't exist so why/how is there a dragon? The answer is simple it isn't a dragon. It was a sting ray that stuffed to look dragon like object. People would have paid a high price, not knowing or ever seeing a dragon they wouldn't know it was a fake. This site had a lot of cool history and a lot of cool exponents in it. To add to it there was also a Botanical garden at the end!
Another one of my favorite parts was the collection room. This is where prizes from wealthy people from the VOC Era had prizes brought back with them. One of the prizes was a replica of a dinosaur skeleton. Another one with a cool story behind it was a dragon was brought back! Although dragons don't exist so why/how is there a dragon? The answer is simple it isn't a dragon. It was a sting ray that stuffed to look dragon like object. People would have paid a high price, not knowing or ever seeing a dragon they wouldn't know it was a fake. This site had a lot of cool history and a lot of cool exponents in it. To add to it there was also a Botanical garden at the end!
Museum Boerhaave Artifact Storage
Leiden...Quite possibly the most adorable town we've seen so far. Brick streets, historic houses, and not to mention Museum Boerhaave. Though we did not get to see the museum, we got to see a large sampling of the 40,000 artifacts that the museum owns. Being interested in the biomedical devices field, it was extraordinary to see all of the devices over time. The device that stuck out the most was one of the first dialysis machines. The curator said that 17 out of the 70 people who first used it died just due to the horrific methods of extracting and filtering the blood. A lot of the devices back then had many negative effects for the patient at hand. I thought it was fascinating to see the evolution of the medical devices. Also, I never thought I'd be able to touch devices like these! Overall, the experience was one that on it's own has made this trip the most memorable I've had.
Maps and Maps for Days!
National Maritime Museum
The National Maritime Museum was by far my favorite site to date. In particular, the room of cartography was absolutely spectacular. The cartography room was decked out with maps from throughout history, including a recreated map from the work of Ptolemy. The maps were extremely detailed, colorful, and had pictures and inscriptions in the margins. The collection also included a world atlas comprised of 12 volumes. These volumes were the work of William James Blaeu in the late 16th and early 17th century. He was one of the greatest map makers that worked for the East India Trading Company. I was entirely floored by the fact that he continually updated his maps with information brought back sailors in the company. This made his maps some of the most up to date that were available at the time. This room was my absolute favorite part of the museum. The rest of the museum was equally great and the tour guides were extremely knowledgable and had a great passion for the collection and history.
The National Maritime Museum was by far my favorite site to date. In particular, the room of cartography was absolutely spectacular. The cartography room was decked out with maps from throughout history, including a recreated map from the work of Ptolemy. The maps were extremely detailed, colorful, and had pictures and inscriptions in the margins. The collection also included a world atlas comprised of 12 volumes. These volumes were the work of William James Blaeu in the late 16th and early 17th century. He was one of the greatest map makers that worked for the East India Trading Company. I was entirely floored by the fact that he continually updated his maps with information brought back sailors in the company. This made his maps some of the most up to date that were available at the time. This room was my absolute favorite part of the museum. The rest of the museum was equally great and the tour guides were extremely knowledgable and had a great passion for the collection and history.
Friday, May 20, 2016
Maritime Museum
What can I say about the Maritime Museum other then it was freaking awesome! Where else are you going to see a variety of panting that depict the 80 years of war with Spain (I especially like the ones done in pen), learn about the good and bad history of the Golden Age and the East India Company and hop aboard a replica of an East India Company ship! Although I did very much swinging on the hammocks on the ship, I couldn't imagine being in that tiny room with over a hundred other men. I don't even want to think about what that smelled like :(. I also really enjoyed the room with the ships and how you could move the screen attached to the glass and once it was hovering near a ship on the other side of the glass it would give you information on the different ships and what they were used for. I also enjoyed looking at the atlas room and appreciating the amount of time and work that must have taken to hand draw and color the pages. I was surprised by how accurate the early atlases were before travel by boat were used to explore the surrounding world.
At this museum, I probably learned the most about a variety of different topics in Dutch history. This was most definitely a great site and a fantastic way to start off our trip!
At this museum, I probably learned the most about a variety of different topics in Dutch history. This was most definitely a great site and a fantastic way to start off our trip!
The Significance of Thysius' Library Today
On Thursday May 19th our group had the opportunity to tour Thysius' Library. This library is significant for a few reasons, a couple being that it was the first public library in the Netherlands and that this library represents a specific literary time, the 17th century. I found it very interesting that Thysius had requested to share his library with the public after his death and that he even set aside money for the construction of the library and expansion of his collection. This library was carefully planned out and has been taken care of for a very long time. I can only imagine what Thysius would think about his library still being open today and that his books are still spreading knowledge to students.
One of the books in this library that stood out to me the most was the German Bible from the 1400s. This Bible not only showed the changes that were made in book's structure as mass produced books became more common, it also gave insight to the beginning of publishing. It was interesting to see how this Bible differs from books we see today, how there was no title page and new paragraphs had to be notated by hand after printing. It was also interesting to hear from our guide about the cultural significance of this Bible. Although this Bible was printed before The Reformation it was printed in German text instead of Latin, the language of the Catholic Church. Our guide told us that this was because people wanted the Bible to be printed in their own language so that they could read it, so publishers printed to fit what the consumers wanted even though it went against the Catholic Church. Another interesting aspect about this Bible is that it contained many hand painted illustrations to accompany popular Bible stories. This was so that people who could not read could still follow along by looking at the illustrations. Overall, I found it very interesting to see that even in the 1400s people were doing what they could to produce items that fit what consumers wanted or needed.
One of the books in this library that stood out to me the most was the German Bible from the 1400s. This Bible not only showed the changes that were made in book's structure as mass produced books became more common, it also gave insight to the beginning of publishing. It was interesting to see how this Bible differs from books we see today, how there was no title page and new paragraphs had to be notated by hand after printing. It was also interesting to hear from our guide about the cultural significance of this Bible. Although this Bible was printed before The Reformation it was printed in German text instead of Latin, the language of the Catholic Church. Our guide told us that this was because people wanted the Bible to be printed in their own language so that they could read it, so publishers printed to fit what the consumers wanted even though it went against the Catholic Church. Another interesting aspect about this Bible is that it contained many hand painted illustrations to accompany popular Bible stories. This was so that people who could not read could still follow along by looking at the illustrations. Overall, I found it very interesting to see that even in the 1400s people were doing what they could to produce items that fit what consumers wanted or needed.
It Was a Merry Time (museum).
Aside from the fact that both myself, the respected chaperone/professors Liz and Adam, and the other 15 students had a serious case of jet lag, we visited the Dutch National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam on Wednesday. After waking up to a solid European breakfast, we took a walk to what seemed like an old, rectangular, and somewhat out-of-place looking building with the mindset of "well, let's see what this is all about". Our first step inside the building not only eliminated our any possible doubts about the interesting-ness that this place to offer but changed our mindset to "wow, I wan't to see more". The building literally had a solid glass roof!
So after we all became accumulated to the unique environment of an outdoor plaza inside a big building, we began our tour. We discovered and interpreted historic maritime paintings of important Dutch sea battles during the 80 Years War, got to see a limited selection of maritime tools and instruments used by seafarers and navigators hundreds of years in the past, and even got to look at some of the first maps made as the parts of the entire world were being discovered. Similarly, we were walked through a replica of a East India Trading Company Fleet ship and we're taught the ways of life sea merchants and tradesmen had to live with for years on end. To say it was rough was an understatement...
Overall, I not only got to see some historic relics and go through a very interactive museum (which was not exactly what seemed that this building had to offer from an outside perspective) but I learned many things about maritime history centuries ago. I definitely recommend this museum for adults as well as kids, as it is interactive to be interesting as well as a learning environment for people of all ages. It was a great tour to start off the trip.
So after we all became accumulated to the unique environment of an outdoor plaza inside a big building, we began our tour. We discovered and interpreted historic maritime paintings of important Dutch sea battles during the 80 Years War, got to see a limited selection of maritime tools and instruments used by seafarers and navigators hundreds of years in the past, and even got to look at some of the first maps made as the parts of the entire world were being discovered. Similarly, we were walked through a replica of a East India Trading Company Fleet ship and we're taught the ways of life sea merchants and tradesmen had to live with for years on end. To say it was rough was an understatement...
Overall, I not only got to see some historic relics and go through a very interactive museum (which was not exactly what seemed that this building had to offer from an outside perspective) but I learned many things about maritime history centuries ago. I definitely recommend this museum for adults as well as kids, as it is interactive to be interesting as well as a learning environment for people of all ages. It was a great tour to start off the trip.
Really Old Books
The library in Leiden was a great experience overall. Not only was our guide extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the subject, but he also genuinely cared that we had a wonderful experience at the library. I think that the library is a very important place because it preserves and provides knowledge and perspective from centuries past. I think the most interesting part of the library was the bible from around 1480. I thought this piece was interesting because you got to see the style of writing in the late medieval times and beyond that we were able to see how the book was hand illustrated and colored since the press could only be set up with one color of ink at a time. I found it amazing that with my limited knowledge of German that I was able to understand something that was over five hundred years old. The main difficulty when reading the book is the difficult to interpret gothic typeface. I asked our guide a little more about the book and he said that another reason why it might be difficult is that it is written in a dialect of German that is a little different than contemporary German. He told me that if you read it out loud it is actually easier to understand than if you just try to read it straight from the book. After going back to it and sounding out the words it did make more sense and made looking at this book way more enjoyable.
Boerhaave Museum: Cabinets of Curiosity Up Close and Personal
On Thursday, May 19, we headed to Leiden to visit the Boerhaave Museum. Although most people would get a tour of the actual museum with context already present, we were given a tour of the museums collection in storage since the museum was closed for renovation. I was worried about the value of the tour at first, but once I entered a particular room, I would not forget my time there. As our tour guide opened the door and turned on the lights, we were surrounded by jars full of random insects, body parts, and animals. Although these jars were made in the 16th and 17th century, they still contained their lively appearance as though they were just stored. This struck me immediately since my research was on Frederik Ruysch, who developed the ground breaking method of preserving these items. Frederik Ruysch did it so well that he developed a large collection of these preserved items, or "cabinets of curiosities," that he eventually sold for a fortune. Reading about his specimens was one thing, but seeing these preserved specimens up close really made me realize how amazing the method must have been and how breathtaking the cabinet of curiosities would have been. In conclusion, the museum's collection was amazing and exceeded my expectations!
Tour of Museum Boerhaave
The begging of the tour of Museum Boerhaave started out a little shaky. We were put in a very small hot room with uncomfortable chairs. It seemed very unnecessary for the tour to tell us what the old museum was like when all of us will probably never even see the new museum. Then they went over what the new Museum might be like. It seemed more like we were just there to give impute on what the new museum should be like. However, after the lecture on what the new museum is going to look like, we were allowed to do something I didn't think was even possible. We were allowed into the storage facilities and see things that not everyone will ever get to see close up.
First we went to a room with closets and we saw two or three things. One of the objects being one of the first artificial kidney. Most of the stuff in that room not even our tour guide, Paul, knew what things were. Then we went into a room with open shelves and that is when I realized that this was a very special tour. There was a room with hundreds upon hundreds of microscopes starting form very old to more modern. There was even a priceless microscope, which I don't think I am allowed to name, that we were allowed to look at up close. We saw a Dutch flags given to the Netherlands by the USA after their first moon landing. It has moon rock infused in resin in the plaque. Actually, I feel we may have actually offended Paul. All of these American students were so interested in this artifact that could be interpreted as the US showing off. Then we saw a room that had hundreds of specimens preserved in jars. I could have spent hours in just one of those rooms. In all, this tour of the Museum Boerhaave was an amazing experience that only the eighteen of us will ever experience.
First we went to a room with closets and we saw two or three things. One of the objects being one of the first artificial kidney. Most of the stuff in that room not even our tour guide, Paul, knew what things were. Then we went into a room with open shelves and that is when I realized that this was a very special tour. There was a room with hundreds upon hundreds of microscopes starting form very old to more modern. There was even a priceless microscope, which I don't think I am allowed to name, that we were allowed to look at up close. We saw a Dutch flags given to the Netherlands by the USA after their first moon landing. It has moon rock infused in resin in the plaque. Actually, I feel we may have actually offended Paul. All of these American students were so interested in this artifact that could be interpreted as the US showing off. Then we saw a room that had hundreds of specimens preserved in jars. I could have spent hours in just one of those rooms. In all, this tour of the Museum Boerhaave was an amazing experience that only the eighteen of us will ever experience.
Thysius' Library!
The first attraction we got to see in Leiden was Bibliteca Thysiana, the first public library in the Netherlands EVER! It was so interesting and our guide was so enthusiastic about the history and about the books in general. He knew all of the answers to our questions, and when we requested books that library didn't have, he had an explanation about why it wasn't there. The overall history of the library was amazing; who knew that someone back then was so enthusiastic about preserving books from that era?The day before we had gone to the National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam, and they had all the books and atlases they had in glass cases, so it was interesting to see all the books up close and not in those cases. & when someone asked about it, the guide actually said that it's better for the books because they aren't constantly being exposed to the light because they're closed and put away.
All the books he showed us were awesome; his choices that he thought we would find interesting actually were. The old Bible printed in German was fantastic, and all the hand colored drawings were beautiful. The smallest book in the library was adorable! & all the others that were requested were awesome!
The library was beautiful and it wasn't flashy, and didn't have the "bling bling" (as our guide put it), but it was still beautiful. & the history behind it was amazing. If I'm even in Leiden again I'll definitely have to stop by, even if it's just to admire the gorgeous facade!
Tour of Biblioteca Thysiana
So yesterday we traveled to Leiden from Amsterdam, and visited one of the oldest library's in the world! It was called "Bibliotheca Thysiana", and its a public library in Leiden, close to Leiden University. Honestly, I loved this place! I was so amazed by the many books that were there, not to mention, the conditions that they were in! I was also very surprised to see how differently books were made back then. Call me crazy, but for some reason I thought that books back then were made the same way they are made today, but it turns out, they were not. As I saw, books back then all looked the same, and were really all "relatively" the same color. They were even ordered/placed by size of the book, and not alphabetically, or by genre.
However, there was one book that stood out to me the most, and that was ... the Bible. This one Bible that was at this library was from the 17th century, and was from Germany, in German! However, aside from the fact that I couldn't understand what it said, because obviously I don't know how to read German, but what was really unique about this specific Bible was that the Bible itself had hand drawn and colored drawings, to go with the stories of the Bible! For example, I managed to take a picture of the Adam and Eve story, and the picture shows Adam and Eve being exiled from paradise, the garden of Eden, for eating the forbidden fruit, which was really cool! Because I thought it helps show the readers an idea of what that might've looked like, or been like.
Though overall, I'm so grateful that I got to visit this library, and I can't wait to see what other adventures are to come!
XOXO
-Ivan Almendariz
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