'Hell Week' for U.S. Teen Scientists

Bright they may be now, but there is always the risk of "burnout", and I often wonder whether these "bright young people" can properly relate to their fellow man/woman.

It is interesting to reflect, that so many inventions we now take for granted, were discovered by accident, or were invented by persons who were relatively unschooled.

Most of these early inventors, knew how to learn from observation, or were able to conceive of something entirely new - algebra is a case in point.

Kind Regards....

There is no metric for interpersonal skills. Until they can be objectively measured and enumerated on some sort of scale, we won't be talking about how well they can relate to their fellow man. Primarily, because deep down, more people care that we have cutting edge science than cutting edge humanity.

I hope he takes time to be a kid too. You only have one chance to do that while you're young. The rest of us just don't act our ages (except how long it takes us to heal afterwards ).

I hope he's had the chance to go to a swimming hole and swing way out on a rope swing. Ride a motorbike through the woods. Climb some rocks that makes your mum break out in a cold sweat.

There's plenty of time in life to tackle science's biggest challenges, be a kid first.

YAY! I attended a summer semester in environmental biology (my career field) the summer between my junior and senior years in high school. It was sponsored by the National Science Foundation. Not only did I learn a ton of stuff that has held me in good stead ever since, I also had a chance to interact with interested peers who were not "the same gang" I grew up with. The interpersonal contact was an education in itself! I had plenty of time for ball games, rope swings, swimming holes, rock climbing, dirt bikes, etc., before and after. That summer was a shining Camelot for me, and I've never regretted an instant of it!