
The College of Natural Sciences ordered 50,000 pairs of eclipse glasses to prepare for the solar eclipse on Monday, only to find that every single pair had a glaring typo, according to 9News.
Instead of “sciences,” the word “sceinces” was printed.
The paper glasses, which were distributed to both the Poudre School District and Colorado State University students, allowed viewers to watch the eclipse’s progress without the risk of harming their eyes. Over 20,000 pairs were distributed to students in the days leading up to the event at Ram Welcome and throughout campus, 9News reported.
After the glasses arrived, the CNS administration determined that covering up or reprinting the switched letters was not worth the cost. The glasses still functioned to protect the eyes of viewers, which was the most important aspect. Viewing an eclipse without protective glasses can cause permanently debilitating effects on eyesight.
In an email to the Collegian, Mike Hooker from public relations at Colorado State University said that safety, rather than aesthetics, was the primary goal.
“What’s most important to us is that our glasses meet all safety standards, and we are thrilled to be able to help people experience the eclipse safely,” Hooker wrote.
Now that the eclipse has passed, the glasses serve simply as a humorous memento of the event, and remain the only CSU-branded product from the “College of Natural Sceinces.”
Collegian news reporter Mason Force can be reached at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @masforce1.