Pickles, prisms, and scientists
As the nights grow longer, the landscape turns gray, and the holidays approach, it seems natural that communities would gravitate toward lights, candles, and color. But science and engineering? Yes: As dozens of local families will attest, those are at the heart of the holidays, too. Celebrating its 11th year of public engagement, the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences’ (SEAS) Holiday Lecture Series dazzled and delighted audiences on Dec. 8 with a show guaranteed to kindle curiosity about the natural world. “Each year, when we start advertising the lecture, people register immediately,” said Kathryn Hollar, director of educational programs at SEAS. “There are people who have been coming every year since the very beginning, and they tell us that this is the kick off to their holiday season. That’s very exciting to us. I hope that every time they look at a beautiful holiday display or light a candle, they’ll think...