Confessions of a Fake Scientist: What I learned about real science by making fun of it.
By Phil Edwards
When I began my career as a fake scientist, I’d imagined “science” as the final word in an argument. Science is a subject that a lot of people are intimidated by, either because of the discipline required to practice it or because of the fear of smelling like formaldehyde. My experience proved different. For real scientists, science isn’t a cudgel. Realizing that helped me reawaken my own interest in science, and though I stay safely in the “pop science” confines of lighter reading, I’ve discovered a way of looking at the world that I respect. Science is the beginning of a conversation.
I really loved this article and found it kind of inspiring! My favorite thing about being a total nerd is getting other people interested in what I’m interested in. And that goes for all forms of my nerdiness - from hippocampal neurogenesis to canceled 90’s UK sitcoms. So, getting to see an outsider find their way into the world of scientific inquiry and actually like what they find? That’s just the best.
Indeed! I’ve been following FakeScience for a while, and found it very amusing, but am even more thoroughly pleased to see this lovely article. Definitely a worth while read.
