| Let me tell you a story about Dr. Finsen and the cat. | | | | sufficient to produce a scientific discovery or create |
| Dr. Niels Ryberg Finsen is the famous "light cure" | | | | an invention. Without an inquiring-minded observer, |
| specialist who started to treat lupus (tuberculosis of | | | | chance alone will never produce such a result. |
| the skin) with electric light in 1895. In 1903, he received | | | | One of the great blessings of childhood is the |
| the Nobel prize in medicine and physiology. One | | | | inquisitive mind. Children are discovering the world, |
| summer day, Dr. Finsen gazed outside his study | | | | without all of the preconceptions that exist in the adult |
| window and saw a cat sunning itself on the roof of a | | | | mind. A child's parents are one of their main sources |
| shed. As he watched, the cat happened to rise and | | | | of information before they begin school, and the |
| move a little in order to get out of the shadow cast by | | | | endless stream of questions can at times be difficult to |
| a house wall. A few minutes later, the cat moved | | | | endure along with all of the other responsibilities of |
| again when the advancing sun lengthened the shadow. | | | | adult life. If you are a parent, try not to stop your |
| Amused and at the same time in a questioning mood, | | | | children from asking "why?" all the time. This "why?" |
| the scientist continued to watch the cat. A third, a | | | | attitude can help them to want to learn more and be |
| fourth, and yet a fifth time he saw it change position to | | | | more observant. It helps the development of their |
| keep in the sunlight. He noted its attitude of complete | | | | thinking process. At the same time, don't always |
| relaxation, its evident feelings of contentment. The | | | | answer the questions with answers. Encourage your |
| thought occurred to him "It must be that this cat is | | | | child to think through the "why?" themselves. |
| getting something out of the sunlight of great benefit to | | | | You can also develop the same mindset as an adult. |
| it. Would human beings get the same thing?" Thus, the | | | | This mindset can lead to amazing professional |
| story goes, Dr. Finsen began the studies that led to his | | | | opportunities as well as the scientific breakthroughs. |
| Nobel prize winning "light cure." | | | | Take a look at what people want and what |
| It is a typical instance called "knowledge by chance" | | | | companies are offering. If there is a gap in between, |
| that has happened to many other famous scientists, | | | | you might be able to find ways to close that gap. For |
| such as Daguerre, Galileo, and Sir Isaac Newton. | | | | instance, a company like Netflix changed the way |
| Probably thousands of other people had seen cats | | | | many people rent movies. Companies like Paypal |
| basking in the sun; Finsen is the only one who raised | | | | provide a service to enable online transactions more |
| the practical question about a cat's passion for sunlight. | | | | easily and securely. These companies found the |
| Similarly it is with Newton and the falling apple, and | | | | un-met needs of the market and they fulfill those |
| Galileo and the swinging lamp. Chance alone is not | | | | needs to great success. |