Stargazing Guy

Dr. Becky Smethurst, Astrophysicist. Science Communicator. Author.

The full quote from the preface of her book (Space at the Speed of Light: The History of 14 Billion Years for People Short on Time) is:

“The wondrous thing about science is that nobody knows the right answer. This is not how we are taught science as children though. In the classroom, theories are presented as hard facts which have always been understood in that way. Fortunately, the reality is far more creative: being a scientist is like fitting in the pieces of an ever-changing jigsaw puzzle for which we’ve lost the lid.”

Dr. Becky Smethurst

This is such a great explanation of how science works and probably needs to be repeated by scientists and communictors constantly, especially to journalists.

We are told as children “this is fact” and then we are told “actually, its more of a guess”! In reality, its more the best answer (at this point in time) to a question.

Richard Feynman the American Nobel Prize-winning theoretical physicist probably said it best:

“If it disagrees with experiment, it’s wrong. In that simple statement is the key to science.”

Richard Feynman

The scientific method refers to a process of thought based on integrating previous knowledge, observing, measuring, and logical reasoning, and here Richard Feynman teaches you the scientific method:

He goes on to say ““It is not unscientific to take a guess, although many people who are not in science believe that it is.” You can see a longer clip here.

Becky Smethurst’s analogy of the “ever-changing jigsaw puzzle for which we’ve lost the lid” is a great way to encapsulate science.

PS: I love coffee. BuyMeACoffee, leave a message with a date and time and we can share it, remotely, at the same time, and think about the Cosmos.

In the meantime, take care of yourself and if you can, someone else, too, because as Adam Smith said, “we naturally desire not only to be loved but to be lovely”.

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