There are many good reasons to help the next generation become interested in science. They are the future, after all; the authors and architects of whatever progress and solutions the human race will attain during their time on the planet. To meet that challenge, they will need the best knowledge and tools available. Plus … understanding how the world works is not only useful, but fun. One of the most accessible pathways to an interest in science is astronomy. Speakers at the recent gathering in Amsterdam of the world’s astronomical telescopes and instrumentation community were very persuasive on that point, starting with the very first talk. “The tangible mystery of space” has inspired humankind from our earliest times, noted Heidi Hammel of the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy in the event’s opening plenary session. "High-profile astronomy missions inspire kids in elementary school to become the scientists of the future,” she asserted...