18-Year-Old Student Discovers Comet Break-Up

astroengine writes "It's an event that any professional astronomer would consider to be a once-in-a-lifetime discovery. But for one 18-year-old British student, witnessing the fragmentation of a comet she was studying became the highlight of a summer work experience program using the Faulkes Telescope Project. However, that was just the icing on the cake; Hannah Blyth of St. Johns College, Cardiff, also assisted in the discovery of over 20 previously unknown asteroids, two of which she discovered herself. It is extremely rare to spot a fragmenting comet, but for an amateur (let alone an 18-year-old student on work experience), this is an incredible achievement."

GOOD FOR HER!

[Anonymous Coward]

Good for her! This is what British science used to be about. The quest for knowledge and discovery is what once made the UK a scientific superpower. The neverending thirst for understanding that cannot be quenched. The burning desire to see further and deeper than has been seen before. The uncontainable urge to explore the unknown. The raging curiosity. The screaming need for enlightenment. The arousal of the inquisitive mind. The yearning for greater power of the mind. The want of all know-how. The needling pain of not knowing.

It is because of these urges that we now know glorious names today, like Francis Bacon, Roger Bacon, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, James D. Watson, Francis Crick, and Alan Cox.

YOU SEE SCIENCE AS A PROBLEM? FUCK YOU, BUDDY!

[Anonymous Coward]

What in the fuck are you talking about? This is fundamental scientific knowledge. Yes, this should receive public money, regardless of what other "problems" might exist.

I truly can't believe that you're suggesting that science and education aren't worth spending money on. Science and education will cure most, if not all, of the problems that you're thinking of. Foreign and domestic youth looting and stealing? Put them in the damn classroom and make them learn something for a change. Rampant unemployment? Train people so that they can discover new industries and create employment. The rash on your lover's genitals? Let medical researchers study it so they can come up with a cure.

Any place that hates science, knowledge and education will soon end up like the southern states in the USA. That is, it'll become a backward, third-world shit heap where poverty, crime, and religion run rampant. Even Afghanistan is a more livable and science-friendly place, I hate to say it.

Re:Very young people and astronomy

[Anonymous Coward]

* One thing you might notice is that all of these people are female. I tentatively don't think this is a coincidence

Correct. It's not a coincidence. It's just that the press doesn't give a shit if males do it. Example: you'd think that all murder victims in the UK are female.

In reality, it's just that the press couldn't care less if you are male and get murdered - unless there happens to be some other cause they can attach to it (possible race motivations for example) and stoke up coverage.

Re:Very young people and astronomy

[JoshuaZ]

That doesn't make any sense. The people in question were the youngest to do what they've done, not the youngest females to do what they've done. There's a clear series of accomplishments here.

Re:Very young people and astronomy

[Mindcontrolled]

Refreshing. We get a sexist arsehole today. Nice change from the usual rabble of racists and homophobes. Good job, coward.

Re:GOOD FOR HER!

[PopeRatzo]

The quest for knowledge and discovery is what once made the UK a scientific superpower.

Also a healthy respect for the amateur scientist.

I've been recently writing a paper about the early mathematical work on solitary waves - guys like Laplace, Lagrange, Russell, etc. A surprising number of them were "gentlemen of science" who did it for the love, and because that's what gentlemen of science did. They didn't have research grants or teaching posts. Well, Russell did get all of 300 pounds to study shallow water, and that was a lot at the time, but not when considering that naval power and maritime trade were so important. But a lot of them were just guys who maybe came from wealthy families and were into scientific stuff.

Re:Luck

[WrongMonkey]

Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.

Re:Very young people and astronomy

[Mindcontrolled]

He's claiming persecution from a position of privilege, at least that's how I read it. This has nothing to do with women being in average not as strong as men.

Re:lucky person gets lucky

[Gordonjcp]

Filling the young people who are just about to set off down their academic path with enthusiasm and excitement for all the Really Cool Things you get to do with science, obviously.

Their investment paid off.