Don Herbert, Mr. Wizard to all us kids who he taught to shrink styrofoam or slice a banana while still in its peel died yesterday at the age of 89.
He got millions of kids interested in science and got millions of parents frustrated from cleaning up failed kitchen experiments.
His show was an example of the good television can do for children, exposing them to new scientific concepts while still being fun and entertaining.
His show was the highlight of my day when I was young. It was from him that I learned how awesome dry ice was, how to make a hot air balloon and how to injure my younger brother so that he needed surgery. (It was the sliced banana experiment. I dropped the needle and couldn't find it. My brother found it when he knelt down and it went completely into his knee.)
So light a candle for Mr. Wizard. Actually, light a short candle in a bucket and pour soda in the bucket. Watch as the escaping carbon dioxide from the soda extinguishes the candle.