When people look through a telescope, air currents in the Earth’s atmosphere can distort the images they see. In the 1950s, a scientist named H. W. Babcock thought of a way to reduce this distortion by using a special device within the telescope. However, this device was not used until the 1990s.Which best explains why Babcock’s idea took many years to become a reality?
Answer
A
Scientists started using electron microscopes instead.
B
Scientific telescopes were already using advanced technology.
C
Scientific ideas often have to wait until advancements in technology make the ideas possible.
D
Scientists often feel their ideas place an unnecessary burden on the research to develop telescopes.
Explanation
Babcock proposed a device to correct distortions caused by air currents, but it was not put to use for decades. The best explanation is that the necessary technology had not yet advanced enough to make his idea practical. Choice C captures this: scientific ideas sometimes must wait for technological advances before they can be realized.
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