The Lego Group, manufacturers of well-known building blocks, is releasing a new set of all-female scientists.
"Research Institute" will feature models of women scientists, including a paleontologist, astronomer and chemist.
The set was designed by Ellen Kooijman, a geochemist from Sweden. She submitted her idea to Lego Ideas, an online gathering place for fans of the toy. The idea was inspired by her observation that most of the scientists depicted in Lego sets are male. Kooijman also believed the women scientists created by Lego up to now were stereotypical, encouraging misconceptions about female researchers.
The geo-chemist-turned-toy-designer played with Legos as a child, and re-discovered her love of the toy, a decade after putting them down. Despite questions her idea would ever be accepted, Kooijman submitted her concept.
"As a geochemist I started with designs close to my own profession, a geologist and a chemist, and then expanded the series to include other sciences and other professions... It became clear that the science sets were the most popular so my final proposal was a set that could represent a Research Institute - similar to the one I work at," Kooijman wrote on her blog.
Lego released a set of figurines in 2012, called "Friends." The female characters were portrayed as being beachcomber, bakers and models. This created a significant backlash from some groups and individuals who urged the company to avoid gender stereotypes in their toys.
Research Institute is scheduled for release this August. The set will feature female scientists who can be modeled in several settings. Included in the new kits will be a Lego telescope, chemistry equipment and dinosaur skeleton.
"We're very excited to release Ellen Kooijman's Female Minifigure set, featuring three scientists, now entitled "Research Institute" as our next LEGO Ideas set. This awesome model is an inspiring set that offers a lot for kids as well as adults," the company announced on its website on 3 June.
The Lego Group is a family-owned company, based in Billund, Denmark. They have been in business since 1932, when founded by Ole Kirk Christiansen. They first started manufacturing building blocks in 1949 and have made more than 560 billion of the pieces since that time.
Many people have stepped on Legos blocks in bare feet, and know how painful they can be when accidentally discovered underfoot. One of the reasons they hurt so much is because the blocks need to be precisely manufactured, within tolerances of 0.00008 inches, to snap together. This is accomplished by pressing the blocks with more than 900 pounds of pressure. These highly-compressed blocks won't give way when you step on them, and so the sharp edges press hard into flesh.
