Back when ScienceBlogs was all new and shiny, I did a couple of posts asking questions of the other bloggers. I got involved with other things after a while, and stopped posting those, so I’m not sure this will still work, but here’s a question for other ScienceBloggers, or science bloggers in general, that I thought of when I was writing about science books:
What topic or phenomenon that’s generally in your area do you really wish people would stop asking you about?
I don’t mean a major political controversy that you have a strong opinion about, but might be tired of (so no “creationism” answers), but rather some topic that is, for whatever reason, you don’t have a strong opinion about, but random people you meet assume you must be dying to talk about. My answer is below the fold:
For me, the topic I wish people would stop asking me about is string theory, and specifically Brian Greene’s The Elegant Universe. It’s not in my field, and in fact, it’s far enough removed from my field that I can barely understand what string theorists are talking about most of the time.
I haven’t read Greene’s book on the subject, either– I watched some of the TV version, but I dozed off during both nights. I have a copy of the book, but honestly, my pleasure reading time is very limited these days, and I’d rather spend it on other things. (Mostly trashy genre fiction, the trashier the better when things get particularly busy at work…).
I really don’t have a well-informed opinion on string theory– I have negative opinions of many string theorists, but that’s not the same thing. Most days, I’m fairly happy to assume that there’s something there, otherwise all these smart people wouldn’t be spending so much time on the subject. On the other hand, a lot of what makes it into the popular press just sounds like total gibberish. I’m still undecided as to the ultimate merits of the theory, but as the impact on my life is roughly the same as whether we call Pluto a planet or not, I’m happy to wait to see if it ever intersects with experiment in a meaningful way.
And yet, the second-most common reaction (after the Physics Face) to learning that I’m a physicist is for people to ask me to explain string theory. Or specifically about Greene’s book– that’s the only reason I have a copy, in fact. If people are going to insist on asking, I probably ought to read the damn thing, just to have a better answer than “I don’t know.”
But really, I’d be happier if they’d just stop asking.
Strangely, I almost never get asked about string theory. The most common reaction (after the Physics Face) is to be asked to explain in simple terms what my research is about. As it is on the Unruh effect, I attempt an explanation linking it to the Hawking effect for more oomph. This often triggers questions on black holes, the Big Bang, relativity or quantum mechanics (usually involving some pretty wild misconceptions behind them). Many other times, though, I just get more Physics Face and a feeble “oh, it must be very difficult”.
However, I’m not really tired of getting these questions, so this isn’t a real answer to your post. I don’t think there are any questions I am tired of answering yet. Perhaps it’s just because I’m young…
Is Pluto “really a planet” 😉
“What’s that?” I’m a cognitive scientist/cognitive psychologist, and after I explain that I have no idea why you’re depressed, and that I study how normal people do normal things, they look bored. I wish they would look horrified… that would give me something to react against…!
“[Why can’t you put metal in] Microwave ovens.”
As a food scientist who did an undergraduate degree in human nutrition, any question about medicine or cooking.
As an undergrad, when I used to tell people my major, I would get the “uh-oh, what have I eaten that I don’t want her to know about” face followed by “what is the healthiest food?”
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Chocolate ice cream of course!
I don’t know if I have a “most common” question. My favorite from when I was an undergrad studying E&M was “how do magnets cure (* insert favorite disease *)?”
My response was, “I think we would first have to establish that they *do* cure that disease.”
Another favorite, probably because it was the title of an AJP paper from some time ago, is “does mass really depend on velocity dad?” Great title.
You work in computers? I have a problem with…
When I was at NASA, I could at least tell them that I didn’t work on anything that costs less than your average house. Now I just ask them what they do and if they’re willing to work in their off time for free.
I get the string theory question sometimes, but I don’t mind it so much. I’m just as clueless as you are about it, except that I have read Brian Greene’s book. My favorite parts of Greene’s book are the first parts– he has excellent popular-level descriptions of GR and QM.
I get the “what is the Universe expanding into” question a lot, but I also kinda like talking about that. I don’t know if I ever succesfully answer it, but it does get at the heart of why our view of the expanding Universe is so different from the “explosion” that the name Big Bang implies.
“Is there life on other planets?” Again, out of my field, but I don’t mind the question *all* that much. Fun to think about.
Here’s the question that absolutely bothers me the most, even though it shouldn’t: “Why Astronomy? Why spend so much money looking at the stars when we have all these problems down here on Earth– poverty, health care, etc.– that need to be solved?”
I hate that question, but I try to answer it anyway.
-Rob
“Is rap really music? (or good music)” Most other questions I either enjoy answering or speculating wildly about.
I am interested in biological clocks and rhythms, their physiology and evolution, in pretty much every organism EXCEPT humans (who I find, biologically, quite boring). Yet, I mostly get medical questions about insomnia, for which I am utterly unqualified to say anything, even less do diagnosis/treatment online. I send them to Sleepdoctor.blogspot.com instead.
Generally what I dislike is physicists whom, when I ask them about string theory, act as if they weren’t experts on it. It’s a conspiracy, I tellya…..:)
Generally what I dislike is physicists whom, when I ask them about string theory, act as if they weren’t experts on it. It’s a conspiracy, I tellya…..:)
Heh. You’re right, it is a conspiracy. But we’re not part of it….
-Rob
“Is rap really music? (or good music)” Most other questions I either enjoy answering or speculating wildly about.
So tell us Dr. Spielberg, how’s the latest movie coming along, and is Will Smith going to record the soundtrack?
Q: ” Can you tell me if this is X?” (Where X = gold, rare meteorite, silver ore, emerald)
A: No, it’s not and you aren’t going to get rich.
I work on fish development, especially of the nervous system, so the most common question I get is: Is it true fish don’t feel pain when you hook them?
“Oh, you’re studying maths? In that case I’ve got a question for you…
… you see, when I add up by columns I get a different answer from when I add up by rows. Any idea what I’m doing wrong?”
(My answer: “not using a bloody computer”)
I wish people wouldn’t ask “So what type of engineer are you? Electrical? Mechanical?” OK, there are more types of engineer than there are types of engineering major. I didn’t even major in engineering, so I have no idea what major my work most resembles. If I tell people my degree is in Physics, I get that Physics face.
I really irritated someone at a party by responding to his “So what do you do?” with “Well, I read my e-mail, goof off on the web a little, go make some tea..” It’s a satisfying answer, but not one which helps you make friends.
When I tell people I’m a psychologist, I get the following question quite a lot
“If I die in my dreams will I die for real?”
Not sure why they ask me that, but I always answer “yes” I hope it keeps them up at night. Fair punishment for asking me such a stupid f-ing question
“Oh metadata tech, that’s going to be really important in like, three years.”
THREE YEARS? what about now? what do i do UNTIL THEN?! 🙂
When I tell people I am a philosopher they feel a strange compulsion to ask me what the meaning of life is. For f’s sake, what is the question “What is the meaning of life” meant to mean anyway? Another question I get is “Oh, what’s your philosophy?”.
By far the most irritating – and common – thing people ask when I tell them what I do is ‘Why?’
For f’s sake, what is the question “What is the meaning of life” meant to mean anyway?
Just say “42”.
So tell us Dr. Spielberg, how’s the latest movie coming along, and is Will Smith going to record the soundtrack?
Okay, that is the most annoying question I get. Thanks, Jamie. BTW, I’m thinking of upgrading to the new Mac pro powerbook. Any thoughts?
I get the “can you help me with my computer” question as well.
I’m a student of computer science, and work as a systems developer for fairly big web applications. Which part of that sounds like training installing Office 2003 or putting in a DVD drive?
Another one that tends to annoy me, goes something along “well, software is going to be made by other software soon anyway…” and “X is going to be obsolsolete soon anyway”, where X is the particular thing I am currently working with/studying.
Well – software that autogenerates other software is by no means around the corner, and give me an example of any field where you don’t have to keep learning to be able to work.
Okay, that is the most annoying question I get. Thanks, Jamie. BTW, I’m thinking of upgrading to the new Mac pro powerbook. Any thoughts?
Glad to be of service!
I really like the Dual G5 next to my desk, but I wouldn’t buy anything Apple right now. The PPC line is EOL’d, and the Intel based machines are shiny and cutting edge, which means there’s going to be a LOT of bleeding.
So, when can I get that symphony you promised all those years ago…Ode to Shop-Vac wasn’t it?
I work in a public library and no one has a question for me. The just smile and say, “It must be nice to have a job where you can go and read all day.”
Like they are actually hiring people to sit in the library and read.
“and give me an example of any field where you don’t have to keep learning to be able to work.”
Politics.
I am a zoologist, and the most annoying question I get is “What do you call this animal?”.
“Sorry, but I specialized in birds, so I can’t say much about beetles beyond ‘it’s a beetle’.” I usually get the “what crappy university did you graduate in?”.
For f’s sake, what is the question “What is the meaning of life” meant to mean anyway?
Just say “42”.
Are you sure that’s the right question?