Who doesn't love their physics with a twist? Jennifer Ouellette (a.k.a. Jean-Luc Piquant) helps the roughest scientific concepts go down smoothly with her site Cocktail Party Physics. Hear what she has to say on science minds, Grey's Anatomy and Quantum Cats.
Q: Do you feel the world is divided into the Science Minds and Non-science Minds?
A:I try to avoid "either/or" categorizations. They're unnecessarily divisive and overly simplistic. There are many different cognitive styles out there, and no single style is "correct." True, there is a "scientific mind-set," but this is largely the result of training. Even scientists don't all think and learn alike. I firmly believe that anyone who wants to understand science, can understand science -- they just need to have the material presented to them in a way that appeals to their style of learning. Sadly, there's nothing to be done about willful ignorance.
Q: Do shows like C.S.I. and Grey's Anatomy help bring science to a larger audience, or is it just a kind of "fakey science" they're showing?
A: It's kind of an unfair comparison. These shows were never intended to be documentaries. It's fictional entertainment, and the constraints of good story-telling rarely allow for a detailed, nuanced presentation of the science. Often, I think scientists who criticize the "fakey science" in such shows forget that. But these kinds of shows are a good way of piquing initial interest in science, and perhaps inspiring people to delve further. I'm always Googling some obscure scientific fact after watching episodes of Bones, C.S.I. or House. And I'm told that the C.S.I. franchise has significantly boosted the number of students interested in pursuing forensics careers, for instance. Inspire a child's imagination, and they'll work hard to make their dreams come true. But first you have to inspire them.
Q: What was key for you to make the successful switch to science writer? Was it a refusal to be intimidated? Or was it like learning another language?
A: Certainly you have to learn the language. It's also important not to be intimidated, because then you won't be afraid to ask "dumb" questions. For me it invariably comes down to the human factor: scientists are human beings, with the same emotions, biases, foibles and strengths as anyone else. And they all have fascinating stories.
Q: Who are some of the movers and shakers to look out for in the next couple of years?
A: I'm less about the movers and shakers, and more about the quirkily imaginative. That's why I keep tabs on Andre Geim's lab in Manchester, England, just because he's so creative and imbues his work with a sly sense of humor. He's worked with levitating frogs, and created a synthetic sticky tape that mimics the structure of gecko feet. He tested the tape's strength by suspending a Spiderman action figure from the ceiling in his lab. These days, he's pioneering research into a new material called graphene that may very well give carbon nanotubes a run for their money in future nanoelectronics. I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.
