[robocat]

> on old equipment that would break during the experiment

Isn’t that closer to the real conditions in a research lab?

I met some NASA scientists doing atmospheric sampling on a plane, and they had to accompany their equipment to manage any equipment glitches during the expensive sampling process (a custom modified 747 flying from Hawaii to New Zealand IIRC)

[doctorwho42]

Can confirm, work in a top physics university in the lab. It is not a rare sight to see equipment from 10, 20, 30 years ago still in operation. Though it really depends on the equipment. Optics? They don't really go bad if you treat them right. Electronics? You'd be surprised as the quality of design and fab went into that plastic box that looks older than you.

Really physics discovery is partially limited by equipment, but in my time in the lab I have seen great physicists get remarkable results with equipment or setups that I personally thought was not up to the task.

As to college level experimental physics lab: the goal is not to get you to reproduce the nobel winning results, but to learn how to think like an experimental physicist. To hunt down issues, to calculate sources of error, to find out that some guy keeps running the microwave while you are taking sensitive measurements and that it actually impacted them and how.

It is the unimaginative or poorly taught that think the experimental physics lab in undergrad isn't important.

[ilyt]

Yeah I've bought some old test equipment and it's a wonder than you just plug it in and it is still within specs. They knew how to build them back when HP was called HP and not agilent/keysight/whatever they rename themselves in next decade.