I will be out of the virtual office for a few days–I have to travel off to the West Coast.
I am hoping I can pick up the latest movie from Aardman Studios while I am out there. Sadly, the original title, shown in this PR photo, has been changed for the US to remove the word “Scientists.”
“By downplaying the presence of a plasticine Charles Darwin (voiced by David Tennant) in the film’s marketing, the studio probably figures it has more of a chance of getting box office numbers in the Bible belt. The mere mention of ‘Science’ or ‘Charles Darwin’ is enough to make some extreme Creationists flip out, call forth hellfire and brimstone and lynch a chimpanzee by the highway.”
Le Sigh.
But it’s always an adventure with scientists, even if you don’t label it that way. Sometimes you have an adventure even before you get to the science part–I’m thinking here of the time I was pulled over at a rural traffic stop and had to explain why the following items were in the back of my car:
- Axe
- Shovel
- Machete
- Large black plastic garbage bags
- Rubber gloves
- A jar with cyanide in it
- Air filtering face mask
- 2 old and dirty white sheets
It took quite a while for them to be convinced that I wasn’t up to anything other than a collecting trip for insects in dead logs. ”Really, Officer! These are standard tools for entomologists!”
What’s YOUR favorite science adventure?












And, of course, you know I had to go there.
