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jake-head-shot.jpgJake Young is a MD/PhD student at Mount Sinai School of Medicine focusing in Neuroscience. He is due to graduate in 2032. He received a BS and a MS in Biological Sciences from Stanford University -- where he spent most of his time drinking heavily and building vegetable catapults instead of learning information that would now be eminently useful. When he is not failing terrifically to perform his sworn duties, he enjoys watching bad movies, ethnic food, and running.

Pure Pedantry is a blog about science -- social sciences and otherwise -- as well as academic and scientific culture. No one can live on science alone, so I also like to dwell on pop culture, periodically explore the humanities, and indulge in other types of geeky goodness.

Jake is joined periodically by two wonderful guest bloggers: Kara Contreary and Kate Seip. See the About Page.

DISCLAIMERS: 1) Jake Young is not a licensed physician (yet). He is merely a medical student. The information published on this site is not intended for use in medical decision making. Please seek advice from a licensed, medical professional before making any health decisions. 2) The opinions expressed are my own or those of my co-bloggers. They do not represent the views of SEED magazine or the educational establishments we currently attend.

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When did the Onion get so funny?

Category: Haha, a funny
Posted on: October 10, 2007 4:12 PM, by Jake Young

I don't remember the last time I found two Onion articles funny in the same calendar year.

Here is another one:

"If you're looking for some button-down traditionalist who relies on so-called induction, conventional logic, and verification to arrive at what the scientific community calls 'proof,' then I'm afraid you've got the wrong guy," said the intrepid 44-year-old rebel, who last month unveiled a revolutionary new model of atomic structure that contradicted 300 years of precedent. "But if you want your results fast and with some flair, then come with me and I'll prove that the boiling point of water is actually 547 degrees Fahrenheit."
Armed with only with a Bunsen burner, a modest supply of chemical compounds, and a balance scale -- the last of which Hapner has "yet to find any good reason to use" -- this controversial nonconformist defies every standard definition of what a scientist should be. From his tendency to round off calculations, to his rejection of controlled experiments, Hapner is determined to avoid becoming "one of those cowardly sheep who slavishly kowtows to a tired old methodology."

...

Despite his innumerable achievements, Hapner faces many experts who remain skeptical and have even declared his findings corrupt, irrational, irresponsible, and unscientific.

"It's true that I've been condemned and ridiculed by the world's most prominent chemists, as well as by a good number of amateur hobbyists," Hapner said as he rubbed a balloon on his head to demonstrate a basic principle of hydrodynamics. "But then, wasn't Einstein ridiculed when he unveiled his theory of relativity, or Copernicus when he posited that the Earth revolved around the sun? True, I have since proved them both wrong, but at least they took risks."

The saddest/funniest part about this is that there really people out there who make arguments like this, and all of them comment regularly on ScienceBlogs.

Comments

"I don't remember the last time I found two Onion articles funny in the same calendar year."

sorry, but that "rouge scientist" bit is from the previous calendar year
[/pedant]

Posted by: skyotter | October 10, 2007 8:03 PM

This article has been posted in my lab for a while - it's really funny.

Posted by: Isaac | October 11, 2007 3:07 AM

my favorite is still the onion's video on the 100yo neurosurgeon. omnibrain posted it and i must have watched it 100 times.

Posted by: kate | October 11, 2007 10:09 AM

"Hapner is determined to avoid becoming "one of those cowardly sheep who slavishly kowtows to a tired old methodology.""

The scary part is that this isn't far from a feature article that ran in a recent issue of The Psychologist, the official publication of the British Psychological Society.

The title read "Freeing Qualitative Research from the Shackles of Methodology."

Shackles of methodology, indeed.

Posted by: Johan | October 22, 2007 2:17 PM

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