Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} You're A Scientist! by Phil Edwards Interview: A 'Fake Science' Lesson With Phil Edwards. Through his Twitter feed and Tumblr, Phil Edwards is devoted to making the world around us less understandable, and more confusing. That's because he's the world's foremost expert in "Fake Science." With a new book hitting stands this month, we chatted with the Not-Doctor about how to get into the field, what subjects are off limits for Fake Science, and more: MTV Geek: Many kids start out with a feigned interest in fake science, but what kept you going through the years? Phil Edwards: With real science, if you fail to do your homework you fall behind. With fake science, you actually get better the less you do. It took a steady schedule of procrastination, napping, and looking at the ceiling to develop my fake knowledge. Geek: Where did you study fake science? And how difficult these days is it to get funding at a Pretend Science Lab? PE: Academically, my fake science is heavily influenced by classic cartoons, a misunderstanding of ancient myths, and a lot of yawning. Subconsciously, there might be a little "Calvin and Hobbes" thrown in as well. Geek: Seriously though, folks, what led to the creation of "Fake Science?" And what has the response been like? PE: I started "Fake Science" because a friend and I would walk around and just shout "Science" at any phenomena we didn't understand. The world is more confusing than ever, so I felt there was a market to understand it without the burden of facts. The response has been generally positive, though I still have people who think even my dumbest fake science facts are real. I worry about them. Geek: Have you had any interaction with non-fake scientists? And if so, what was their reaction? PE: I have! They scowl a little, especially when they realize I'm more well-versed in ancient tapestries than physics. Usually, however, they'll supply a joke that's more accurately absurd than anything I could come up with. Geek: In a sense, you probably have to know a lot about actual science in order to create fake science, right? PE: The pleasure of doing the site has been to think about, research, and learn science at a very basic level. The book has a chapter about Physics, and if you want to make jokes about that, you have to do a little legwork. String theory is crazy enough on its own, so I had to make sure I was getting the fake facts right. Geek: Do you have a favorite bit from the book? Anything that got cut for being TOO fake? PE: I didn't put this in the book, but the instinct of any bourgeoning fake scientist is to explain everything with "tiny people." The first or second week of the website, I couldn't use that any more. For me, the first and last chapters are the best. Called "What is Science?" and "You're A Scientist!", they satirize history, academia, the media, and other institutions that I'm all-too-familiar with. Geek: What about going forward? What fields of fake science deserve more exploration? PE: I'd say theoretical physics and dinosaurs are fertile ground for fake scientific studies. After all, the only thing you need to connect the two is a working time machine. Phil Edwards. Archive for the ‘ Mad Scientist ’ Tag. Mad Scientist Monster Flesh and Living Ice Monster Kits Leave a comment. The Monster Kits were molds to make a monster and either Living Ice or Monster Flesh to put into the mold. The Monster Flesh was a lot like silly putty, and the Living Ice was a transparent rubbery substance. Posted November 28, 2012 by darthphilburt in Nostalgia. Mad Scientist Dissect-an-Alien Leave a comment. Dissect-an-Alien was a plastic alien with a torso of clear, flexible plastic. It came with twelve plastic “organs” and “alien blood”, which was really glow-in-the-dark slime. The challenge was not in getting the parts out, it was in getting them to fit back inside the alien when you were finished. Posted November 21, 2012 by darthphilburt in Nostalgia. Mad Scientist Monster Lab Leave a comment. The Monster Lab came with a water tank, two plastic skeletons, “Monster Flesh” and “Flesh Dissolving Compound”. You would put the “flesh” onto the skeleton, fill the tank with water, dump in the dissolving compound, then put your newly-created creature into the tank and watch the flesh fall off his bones. What Fake Science Can Teach Us About Real Books. Inspired by Edwards' popular Tumblr, Fake Science, his recent book Fake Science 101 follows in the ever-growing trend of parodies and blogs- to-books. "Science is the beginning of a conversation," he writes. We talked to him to find out what the fake stuff can teach us about the real—in science, of course, but also in the broader book world. "For the last time, I am not the physicist Stephen Hawking. I'm Steve Hawking and I'm a business administrator in Ohio. I will not read your book." —Stephen Hawking, Says He's Not The Physicist, But Who Knows? It's a pretty obvious parody, but nonetheless, recently educators in Texas were expressly prohibited from purchasing the book over fears that it would poorly reflect upon their school district even if used as an "alternative textbook." (You've got to get kids into science somehow, right?) Per a memo reportedly sent by the district to its teachers, "We cannot have our district ridiculed as a non-scientific one (see many Westinghouse/Intel awardees)." On the plus side, for our fake scientist author: When people are trying to ban what you've written, you know you've made it! Inspired by Edwards' popular Tumblr, Fake Science, the book follows in the ever-growing trend of meme-ready blogs-to-books, and was published in August by Adams Media. It begins, "The world is full of questions, and science provides every answer. Once you learn these answers, you're guaranteed to half-remember them for the rest of your life." While there's plenty of fun and games and charts and tongue-in-cheekiness, the book snazzily packaged in keeping with today's viral needs, as Edwards wrote in Slate in August, it's not always so easy being a fake scientist. People don't exactly get it, for one—especially if they're real scientists you happen to be seated next to, say, on airplanes, with whom you're expected to make small talk. (And, what, exactly, is the science of small talk? We would like to know that.) But Edwards says he learned a lot about real scientists in the process of writing the book, and, as he wrote for Slate, "Science is the beginning of a conversation." We continued that conversation, speaking to Edwards to find out what the fake stuff can teach us about the real—in science, of course, but also in the broader book world. Though the blog is image based, the textbook I wrote is like any traditional textbook, chock full of footnotes, quizzes, and even scientific quotes. That process involved my learning about real science so I could figure out the best way to teach the fake stuff. How did you do that? I admit this at my own peril, but Wikipedia was a huge resource for me. Because the book is structured like a traditional textbook, I needed to still "teach" the reader about astronomy, biology, and other disciplines, even if the facts were false. So Wikipedia helped me figure out a structure for the book that was pedagogically sound (disclaimer for pedagogues: it is only sound enough to get you fired). Chapters that I half-remembered facts about already were easier: I misremember enough about astronomy that I can mock the things that we all pretend to know. Physics, however, was more difficult—so much has been appropriated by sci-fi, and so much is just plain weird, that I had to do a little more research. In some ways, it was more freeing, however. In the astronomy chapter, I could only say so much about the moon, but the weirdest of the physics chapter let me invent a lot of stuff about Newton (his obsession with apples, physical laws for houseguests, and descent into senility). What was your goal in writing the book? There's a long tradition of parody textbooks, and I tried to make a book that echoed their virtues: something intricate, alternately smart and silly, and packed full of secret jokes that reward rereading. Plus, if people don't see the cover, they might think you're actually learning when you're reading it. That's what the Texas school district was worried about, I guess! But do fake and real science ever converge? I think fake science and real science do converge a lot—just ask Jonah Lehrer. I think when real science is appropriated to end a debate, it becomes close to fake. Real science has a skeptical, data driven, and argumentative spirit that most "A Study Has Shown" articles lack. That said, all this is rather heavy pontificating for a guy who primarily Photoshops babies drinking from beakers. Fake science is definitely more reassuring, clear, and comforting than real science. It gives you easy answers without confusing equivocation or counterarguments. Plus, when would real science give you a scientist who wears their lab coat without any pants? What can we learn from fake science? I think that fake science can be a useful prompt for teachers to work their way through to real science. Though the science in the book has varying degrees of plausibility, I think that the skepticism humor encourages is a good way to introduce students to science. That's what teachers tell me, at least. I just like giggling at the pictures of chimpanzees in spacesuits. What are your favorite real and fake items of science trivia? I think anything about physics takes the cake for me, both in fake and real life. They converge with this bit of trivia about Einstein: He married his cousin, Elsa Einstein (true), and subsequently developed his Theory of Relatives, e=mc2, which states that Einstein could marry his cousin as long as she was also his second cousin (less true). Does the publishing of fake textbooks say anything about the book industry overall, in your opinion? I think that if my book demonstrates any broader trend, it's that publishers increasingly seek authors with pre-existing audiences or concepts. What other fake books do we need, and why? I think Fake History could be a lot of fun, especially since I have a bit of Ben Franklin in Fake Science 101 and he's always amazing. I also wouldn't mind a fake pop science book. Possible title: Imagine Moonwalking While You're Blinking . I'm not certain what projects will be next for Fake Science, but I plan to keep the site going and explore more. There's a lot of fertile ground yet, and if I don't make it up, I don't know who will. You're A Scientist! (Make Your Own Mistakes: Volume 1) You are just a lowly beaker cleaner. until fate intervenes. When the Fake Science Laboratories come calling, you answer—and it turns out to be the greatest adventure of the last 15 minutes. Can YOU make the mistakes that will save/destroy/do nothing notable to the lab? Can YOU turn the pages? Can YOU really read? If so, please prove it by shouting “I can read!” at the nearest scientist. “Call me Ishmael. Some years ago—never mind how long precisely—having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world.” -An excerpt from Moby Dick, which this book surpasses in every way, including whale content. Phil Edwards. Philip Aron “Phil” Edwards, runner, physician (born 23 September 1907 in Georgetown, British Guiana [now Guyana]; died 6 September 1971 in Montréal, QC). Nicknamed the “Man of Bronze,” middle distance runner Phil Edwards won five bronze medals at three Olympic Games in the 4x400m relay (1928 and 1932), 800m (1932 and 1936) and 1,500m (1932). He was the most decorated Canadian Olympian until 2002, when speed skater Marc Gagnon won his fifth medal, tying Edwards’s record. In 1936, Edwards became the first recipient of the Lou Marsh Trophy as top athlete in the country. A graduate of McGill University medical school and star of the university’s track team, Edwards later became a leading expert in tropical diseases. Key Facts Born 23 September 1907 (Georgetown, British Guiana) Died 6 September 1971 (Montréal, Québec) Nickname “Man of Bronze” Won 5 Olympic bronze medals in track (1928–36) First recipient of Lou Marsh Trophy (1936) Tropical Disease Expert. Early Life and Education. Phil Edwards was born in Georgetown, British Guiana, to a family of 13 children. His father was a magistrate, and the family was part of the Black elite in the British colony. Edwards attended the prestigious Queen’s College in Georgetown and, at age 16, dominated track events at the school. After graduating, he left British Guiana and moved to the United States, enrolling at New York University (NYU), where elder brother “King” was already a student athlete. Edwards’ parents and several of his siblings also emigrated to New York, where they founded a law and real estate firm in Harlem (one of his sisters became the first Black female lawyer in New York state). Under the guidance of NYU coach Emil Von Elling, Edwards steadily improved as a runner, particularly in 880-yard races (roughly equivalent to 800 m). In the summer of 1927, for example, he narrowly missed winning the US national title in the 880-yard event. Canadian Olympian. Despite his obvious talent, Edwards could not compete for a spot on the US Olympic team as he wasn’t a citizen and, at the time, his home country, British Guiana, did not have an Olympic team. However, as a British subject, Edwards was eligible to compete for another country within the empire. In 1927, Melville Marks “Bobby” Robinson invited him to join the Canadian team for the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. (Robinson, who was manager of the track and field team, had also helped found the Hamilton Olympic Club and would later bring the first British Empire Games to Hamilton, Ontario, in 1930.) In late June 1928, Edwards competed at the Canadian Olympic trials in Hamilton, winning the national title in the 800m and qualifying for the Games. At the Amsterdam Games, he placed fourth in the 800m and won a bronze medal as a member of the 4X400m relay team. After the 1928 Games, Edwards returned to NYU to complete his studies, but continued his association with the Hamilton Olympic Club. In 1929, he travelled between the United States and Canada, competing in track meets in both countries. In August, for example, The Globe reported that he had starred at an athletic competition held in Ottawa: The Central Canada exhibition came to a close yesterday with the holding of a mammoth sports program, featured by the appearance of Canada’s great half-miler, Phil Edwards. The member of last year’s Canadian Olympic team, running in the colors of the Hamilton Olympic Club, was the stellar performer in a program which was studded with keen competition and brilliant performances by the best of Ontario’s schoolboy athletes. The dusky flier had no strong competition, but he gave an impressive and pleasing display to capture both the 880-yard senior run and the one- mile run. Edwards continued to make headlines in the Globe , including reports about his personal life (“Phil Edwards to Marry,” 7 October 1929) and his academic plans following graduation from NYU in May 1930 (“Phil Edwards Plans to Attend Cambridge,” 2 May 1930). McGill University Star Athlete. Despite his earlier plans to attend Cambridge law school, Edwards eventually decided to apply to medical school and, in 1931, enrolled in first- year medicine at McGill University. In June 1931, the Globe informed its readers of the news, remarking “the coming of the stellar middle-distance runner boosts McGill chances in the forthcoming track events, for Edwards is recognized as superior to any Canadian runner at his distances.” He lived up to his reputation, leading the McGill track team to six consecutive championships from 1931 to 1936. The “Man of Bronze” at the 1932 Games. Edwards again competed for Canada at the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California. During the 800m final, he set out at a blistering pace and led the race at the halfway point. However, at the final turn he was caught by Canadian teammate Alex Wilson and British runner Tom Hampson, both of whom broke the world record. Hampson won the race, with Wilson second, while Edwards hung on to take third. He also won a bronze medal in the 1,500m, beating such favourites as American GlennCunningham and New Zealand runner John “Jack” Edward Lovelock. Edwards picked up a third bronze medal as part of the 4X400m relay team, along with Alex Wilson, James Ball and Raymond Lewis (the first Canadian-born Black man to win an Olympic medal). The 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. Edwards continued to train and race between the 1932 and 1936 Olympic Games, winning a number of titles, including a gold medal in the half mile at the 1934 British Empire Games in London (at the 1930 and 1934 British Empire Games, he was part of the Guianese rather than the Canadian team). A veteran competitor, Edwards was chosen captain of the Canadian track and field team for the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. Also on the team was Sam Richardson, a Black track and field athlete from Toronto. Many Canadians (and Americans) wanted to boycott the 1936 Olympic Games because of Nazi Germany’s treatment of Jews and its ideology of White supremacy. However, others felt that participation in the Olympics would be a more effective challenge to Nazi ideology. In addition to Edwards and Richardson, Jewish basketball star Irving "Toots" Meretsky competed at the Games as part of the Canadian Olympic team. Edwards won his fifth bronze medal at the 1936 Olympic Games when he was narrowly beaten by Italian runner Mario Lanzi for second place in the 800m final. He then placed a respectable fifth in the 1,500m. Ironically, Edwards himself experienced racial discrimination not in Germany, but in London, England, as the Canadian team prepared to return home. When the team checked into a hotel, they discovered that the staff wouldn’t allow Edwards to register as a guest. Outraged on behalf of their captain, the entire team decided to leave (according to some accounts, Edwards was eventually allowed to register at the hotel, while others suggest the team found alternate accommodations). Later that year, Edwards became the first recipient of the Lou Marsh Trophy, awarded to Canada’s top athlete, as well as the Lionel Conacher Award for best male athlete. Medical Career. Edwards graduated from McGill University’s medical school in 1936. Although many assumed he would return to British Guiana to practise medicine, he instead accepted a three-year position at the General Hospital in Barbados as resident house surgeon. During the Second World War, Edwards served with the Canadian Army as a captain and was stationed in British Columbia, near the Pacific theatre. After the war he returned to McGill, earning a graduate medical diploma in tropical diseases in 1945. He remained in Montréal, eventually becoming head of the parasitology department at the Royal Victoria Hospital. An acknowledged expert in tropical diseases, tuberculosis and chest diseases, he was also a consultant for the Canadian government. Edwards died on 6 September 1971—about two weeks before his 64th birthday—after a six-month illness. According to his obituary in the Globe and Mail , he had previously had surgery for cancer, but had later been “confined because of a heart ailment.” Edwards left behind wife Dianne and their three daughters. Significance. Edwards was Canada’s most decorated Olympian for about 70 years. Before the 1932 Olympic Summer Games in Los Angeles, a number of Canadian athletes (George Orton, Robert Kerr, Percy Williams, Fanny Rosenfeld and Ethel Smith) had each won a total of two Olympic medals. When Edwards took three bronze medals at the 1932 Games alone, he entered the record books. His career total of five Olympic medals would not be met until Marc Gagnon won his fifth speed skating medal in 2002. The most significant of his medals is probably his last: the bronze he won in the 800m at the 1936 Games in Berlin. There, Edwards, like American track star Jesse Owens, disproved the lie of Aryan supremacy spouted by the Nazi regime. Following his death in 1971, the Globe and Mail remarked that his “bronze medal in the 800-meter run and his fifth place in the 1,500-meter race in Berlin in 1936 not only added to Canada’s totals, but added Dr. Edwards to the ranks of black athletes from many countries who shot holes in Hitler’s pure Aryan track army on its home grounds.” Racial discrimination was and would remain a problem in Canada. During this period, Black Canadians were effectively segregated in many public spaces, Jewish Canadians faced widespread social, professional and economic discrimination, and Chinese people were banned from immigrating to the country. However, Edwards was much loved and admired, by his teammates and the public. A five-time Olympic medallist and Olympic team captain, he became a popular figure in Canada, with newspapers styling him the “dusky knight of the cinder paths.” The first recipient of the Lou Marsh Award for best athlete in the country, Edwards became a hero to many Canadians.