RIP, Mr Wizard

If you're like many people of either my generation or of my children's generation, you can remember watching TV and learning about science from Mr. Wizard. At the age of 89, he has passed away.

"Over the years, Don has been personally responsible for more people going into the sciences than any other single person in this country," George Tressel, a National Science Foundation official, said in 1989.

"I fully realize the number is virtually endless when I talk to scientists," he said. "They all say that Mr. Wizard taught them to think."

I never became a scientist, but I definitely learned more about what makes science interesting from Mr. Wizard than from any of my classes in school. My daughters loved watching his very low key show on Nickleodeon. With his gentle, clear explanations of simple scientific principles, he introduced several generations of children to science. He didn't need flashy graphics and animation to make science interesting. Don't we all wish that we'd had him for a teacher in school?