• Question: what do you think of the other scientists experiments

    Asked by david13464 to Alastair, Emma, Hywel, Keith, Vicki on 18 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Alastair Sloan

      Alastair Sloan answered on 18 Jun 2010:

      Hi David

      I think alot of scientists experiments are very good. In most areas of science we present our data at meetings where scientists in your area of research from all over the UK, Europe or the world are present and after you present your data it is discussed by the audience and you. This is a great way of getting to the right answers and working out what is happening. Scientific discussion is a much better way of advancing than being competitive and its the real cornerstone of how scientific research works.

    • Photo: Keith Brain

      Keith Brain answered on 18 Jun 2010:

      I haven’t checked them out in detail, but they all sound very interesting to me.

      By the way, and rather surprisingly, a lot of science relies of some degree of trust between scientists. We have to rely on the results of lots of other people in order to push forward the boundaries of new knowledge. While we double-check things from time to time, we can’t check everything. So, one of the most important things needed to be a good scientist is honesty – not lying is very important – which is why scientists tend to get very annoyed when there is scientific fraud.

    • Photo: Hywel Vaughan

      Hywel Vaughan answered on 18 Jun 2010:

      I think they are fascinating David!
      Personally I understand a lot more about Emma and Vicki’s projects, mainly because I come from an engineering background and have an interest in environmental issues, but both Keith and Alastair’s projects are equally brilliant! Understanding the repair process of bones? Finding out the effects of drugs on nerves? It’s all cool stuff! 😀

    • Photo: Vicki Stevenson

      Vicki Stevenson answered on 18 Jun 2010:

      I’m really impressed with the work that the other scientists are doing! I’ve never studied biology, so the work that Keith and Alastair are doing is way over my head! I think it’s fantastic that Emma’s findings have been used to keep pedestrians safer, and I think the engineering that Hywel’s involved in with the bloodhound project is really interesting.

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