Good Morning!
Today, Earth Day, is also the day where millions of scientists and other like-minded people are marching to raise their voice about climate change and other worrying trends affecting the science community. If you haven’t considered going, reconsider! It’s a good way to learn more about the science community and why they’re so passionate about what they do.
If you’re not too sure if the march is for you, consider this:
Scientists are people too! (Wild, right?) There are people marching because their jobs may depend on it, as many people depend on funding and projects as their income. by marching, you support them as well!
Science programs funded by the government (state and federal!) work to research diseases, environmental causes, injury prevention, food safety… the list goes on. You probably interact with a project developed by scientists or researched by scientists every day of your life.
If you’re on the fence because of religious ideas, don’t worry about that either! Science is not a religious or spiritual following. There are so many people in the STEM fields who are also devout followers of their respective faiths. Miyam Bialik has an amazing video on how she approaches this. If you’re Catholic and weren’t aware… the Church acknowledges Evolution and the “life soup” theory. The Pope is an Environmental Chemist. So. Gonna leave that there.
But I’m not a scientist, you say, I don’t have a library of textbooks or a subscription to fancy journals. I can’t even understand what these people are saying half the time! Why can’t I just get my science news from CNN/FOX/XYZ network?
Wellp, now is the time, dear reader, to be brave and take the jump. You don’t have to understand calculus or the inner workings of proteins to get involved or support research. You just have to be willing to learn. Start with the basics. Learn some fundamentals. Ask an ex-roommate or sibling or niece or grandson or uncle or neighbor about what they do. Go ahead and ask those people covered in mud holding buckets in the marsh what they’re doing. 8/10 times, they’ll be happy to tell you (if they’re not actively trying to wrangle a critter). Go to talks at your local library! Take notes!
Just (for the love of all things good on this earth) don’t take in the news of convenience. Pick up a textbook. Get your research news from somewhere legitimate. Learn about the scientific method and ask yourself if what those researchers did was valid. Numbers DO MEAN SOMETHING!
Anyway, the only thing stopping you from learning is you. Don’t settle for anything less than concrete evidence. Don’t let the loud, vague sentences sway you.
Anyway, go to the march (if you can). Many of us here at Whimsical Science are working today in our labs and our teaching spaces, carrying on the work of furthering knowledge and educating the future. At the very basic, that’s what we’re marching for anyway.
(OOH, also share your march photos to our facebook page!!)
-The WS staff
whimsicalscience 