What and how much must scientists do, to feel that they’ve done enough? Continue reading
Survivor guilt, scientist guilt
research
Preprints and direct democracy
Scientific publishing is in a revolutionary phase, with some instructive lessons to draw from the political arena. Continue reading
Where is the fun?
Isn’t it time we acknowledged that research is only occasionally a pleasure? Continue reading
Hidden Value
Good things come in small packages
It’s here at last: hard evidence that small research groups do more original work. Continue reading
Do your bit
One of the cruellest insights a young scientist will receive is how often the working reality of a field is very different to its grand image. Continue reading
A chip off the old block
Supervisors don’t just train you in techniques, to a degree they impart their ideology as well. Continue reading
Fail to learn (a personal confession)
I hate making mistakes. Worse than that, I fear making mistakes. The realisation that I’ve made an error – or sometimes, just the thought that I might have made an error – is enough to bring on pinpricks of sweat, an urge to run away, and a noticeable loss of composure. Continue reading
Blockbuster science vs Arthouse science
Are young scientists being encouraged to emulate Michael Bay? Continue reading
Mining the blue sky
Science may be unique in human activities in that it produces a raw material instead of a product. Continue reading
