Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2025 Newsletter blunders clearly reveal the resistance to new technologies and the lack of future vision of that era.
For example, in the field of automobiles, Henry Ford’ s statement during the invention period –“ Nothing can replace horses” – and a bank manager’ s 1903 comment,“ Horses will always be used. The car is only a temporary fashion,” show that the potential of motor vehicles was not understood. Similarly, German Emperor Wilhelm II’ s 1905 remark,“ I believe the horse will win this battle. The car is merely a fleeting craze,” reflects a similar misconception.
In aviation, Lord Kelvin’ s 1895 assertion,“ Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible,” highlights the extent to which the potential of aviation technology was overlooked. Marshal Ferdinand Foch’ s 1911 comment“ Airplanes are interesting toys, but they are of no military value” illustrates how even military strategists failed to grasp the strategic significance of this new tool.
In computing, IBM President Thomas Watson’ s 1943 prediction –“ There is a world market for maybe five computers” – demonstrates the unforeseeable rise of personal and widespread computer use. DEC President Ken Olson’ s 1977 statement“ There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home” illustrates the surprise in the face of the evolution of personal computing. These blunders stemmed from the assumption that computers would remain large, cumbersome machines used only by specialists.
In the realm of television, 20th Century Fox executive Darryl Zanuck said in 1946,“ Television won’ t be able to hold any market it captures after the first six months. People will soon get tired of staring at a plywood box every night,” demonstrating how unimaginable the television’ s integration into daily life was at the time.
Development and goals of the scientific blunders project Launched based on misunderstandings in daily life, the Scientific Blunders project lasted five years. The project aimed to show that scientific blunders are not only a natural part of the development process but can also lead to new perspectives and positive outcomes.
Project approach In everyday life, individuals tend to grow apart when faced with blunders. In contrast, in the field of science, blunders can lead to new learnings and collaboration. Based on this observation, the main goals of the project were defined as follows:- Developing tolerance: Teaching people to be more tolerant of blunders.- Communication and dialogue: Encouraging the free expression of ideas and talking through issues before harbouring resentment- Observing scientific progress: Making scientific advancement tangible by examining the evolution of technological tools- Curiosity for nature and science: Emphasizing the value of observation, admiration for science, and fascination with nature.
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