“Mad scientist” Macias captures kids’ imaginations

Bye-bye Beakman.

Adieu Bill Nye.

Eat your heart out Mr. Wizard.

Try Carlos Macias, instead.

The Christian Science Monitor examined the scientific genius that is Carlos Macias. Since he opened his workshop (Mama Tierra) in 1992, Macias has sought to teach Mexican children to solve scientific problems with hands-on work and by using recyclable materials:

“If a child can describe it, Macias usually can help bring an idea to reality from his cluttered jumble of cables, tools, and dusty model boats and spaceships. He'll discuss an idea with a child until they come up with a plan for construction.

One little girl who wants to make a mechanical caterpillar is given egg containers to get started, and Macias checks in periodically on her progress”.

There are very few types of projects that Macias will not do (e.g. a model of a nuclear plant), though he is open to helping kids with a multitude of scientific quandaries. His interest in science began with observing common items and processes as a child, and this is what he tries to promote in the kids that go to Mama Tierra to see him. Some of them have even gone on to study different fields of science on the university level and will surely be some of Mexico’s most amazing minds in the near future.

In the meantime, Macias’ spirit of teaching has not diminished:

“A fast-talker by nature, (Mama Tierra assistant Dinah Colin) gets even more animated when asked to describe Macias: ‘He's like those guys in the cartoons, like a mad scientist. He gets energized about everything he sees, as if he were seeing it for the first time.’”

Image- Christian Science Monitor (Carlos Macias in his office located in Mama Tierra)

Links- Wikipedia, Sony Pictures, Nye Labs, Christian Science Monitor