"Hundreds of thousands of people will witness a once-in-a-lifetime celestial event," Nicholson writes. "What impact will it have on these multitudes? Hopefully, people witnessing this total solar eclipse will understand the value of scientific predictions. Even better, it can inspire bright young Americans to pursue careers in science — and, if we’re lucky, it can also motivate our jaded elected representatives to give scientific research the support it deserves."
