Meet 7 tourist attractions for those who love science
This post is special for those who like two things: travel and science. The truth is that it is possible to unite these two areas and suddenly embark on a journey that, in addition to showing you a few different places, will become a kind of guide for professional or amateur scientists. Check out some places that can not be left out of the script for those who like Science:
1 - Kennedy Space Center
The dream of your childhood was to be an astronaut, and your biggest idols are Neil Armstrong and Chris Hadfield? Then perhaps this place will reserve for you some moments of pure allure. Kennedy Space Center is located in Florida, 1 hour's drive from Orlando, where Disney World is located.
Just to give you an idea, it was from there that took off the ship that took Neil Armstrong and his colleagues to the moon. After that, it served as a launching place and several other ships until 2011, when it stopped working. Visitors can check out the mural of fame with the names of all the astronauts who have been there, as well as take a tour of the Saturn V Complex and, of course, take a close look at the Atlantis space shuttle.
2 - Holmdel Horn Antenna
Okay, it's kind of bizarre for anyone to recommend that you visit an antenna, but the point here is that we're definitely not talking about any antenna. Holmdel Horn is simply the contraption that has detected evidence of the Big Bang theory.
So if inside you there is a bit of Sheldon Cooper, the place is more than recommended. It is located in New Jersey, USA, and was widely used by radio astronomers Arno A. Penzias and Robert A. Wilson, who conducted experiments with the telescope to study emissions from the Milky Way.
The two researchers noticed that a mysterious noise was always audible in the background, regardless of the direction the antenna was pointing. After a while, they realized that such noises were actually radiation microwaves caused by the Big Bang.
3 - Galapagos
Besides being an amazing place, the water is warm, with an average temperature of 30ºC. But the tropical climate is not the only attraction: to visit Galapagos, an archipelago of 13 large islands, 6 medium and over 40 small, is to live in an immense natural diversity, which gives nature lovers an experience.
Charles Darwin studied the different animal species of the place in the 19th century, giving rise to his famous Theory of Evolution. Since then, the archipelago has received tourism and preservation investments, with the purpose of maintaining this true paradise very well preserved.
4 - Aurora Borealis
Have you ever wondered how incredible it must be to look at the sky and see it covered with colored rays? In some parts of the world, such as Alaska, Norway, Canada, and regions below the Arctic Circle, you can witness this type of event.
The lights in the sky of these freezing places appear there thanks to the agitation of particles in high regions of the earth's atmosphere. These particles are released by the sun's rays.
5 - Trinity Test Space
Looking at it, from a distance, it just seems like a place in the middle of nowhere, and, well, that's exactly what space is. With only one difference: it was there, in those desert lands, that on July 16, 1945, the first successful test with an atomic bomb took place.
In 1995, the site was opened for sightseeing, which offers an exhibition of the remains of Jumbo, the steel container that was used to store long-blown nuclear material. If you enjoy studying radiation, going to this place may be a good idea.
6 - Chernobyl
The history of this place is to leave anyone at least thoughtful. On April 26, 1986, the number 4 reactor exploded, causing the worst nuclear disaster in Chernobyl history. The neighboring city, Pripyat, which was the model of the modern Soviet state, had to be evacuated immediately, and 50, 000 people had to leave everything behind. The area within 48 kilometers of the exclusion zone will be completely uninhabited for the next 20, 000 years.
Twenty years after the accident, Chernobyl was opened for tourism for the first time. Now visitors can see the ruins of Pripyat, which is practically a ghost town, with abandoned, destroyed and shadowy areas. A horror movie was recently made about the Chernobyl tourist visit. Watch the trailer below:
7 - CERN
If nuclear research is of interest to you, how about hopping at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research? The center is in Geneva and houses the Large Hadron Collider, which is simply the largest particle collider ever built in the world.
The giant machine was made with the intention of solving some mysteries of physics experiments. It was this machine that could prove the existence of the Higgs boson. Visitors interested in diving into this world of Nuclear Research can take a guided tour of the organization's headquarters in Geneva, but the Grand Collider is not open to the public.
* Originally Posted on 3/31/14
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