The kids who grew up with this kind of chemistry sets in the 1920s to 1960s were the kids who grew up to be the scientists and engineers who built the internet,

The kids who grew up with this kind of chemistry sets in the 1920s to 1960s were the kids who grew up to be the scientists and engineers who built the internet, landed on the moon and split the atom. When I was a kid, as a part of my education I learned how to use a band saw, did chemistry experiments and learned how to weld with MIG and solder with an oxy-acetylene flame, even do some radioactive experiments. Yes, there was adult supervision but only one adult per 15-20 kids. This was less than 15 years ago, and during that time we've seen a huge shift in the mentality. One lost thumb was deemed acceptable if the rest of the kids learned how to use the band saw. These days kids live their sheltered lives and are not exposed to dangerous situation they have to learn to deal with. Technology is getting more, not less, complicated and learning to deal with the basics - like chemistry, electricity and radioactivity - at an early age will become more important, not less. The world out there is dangerous in many ways, learning to manage risks and deal responsibly with dangerous materials and tools is an invaluable skill. PS. I, too, would like to have this chemistry set but unfortunately they can't ship it outside the US.