4 ms·
On Reproducibility and Clocks (2016)
- PeterWhittaker 10y agoFascinating article on reproducibility of scientific experiments, using the analogy of building a wooden clock based on correct plans: The plans were correct, but also allowed errors to be made by the builder, errors that compounded to create a block of carefully cut pieces of wood. A block that did nothing. It took the builder, himself a research scientific, weeks of determined trouble shooting to transform the block into moving parts that ticked. He stuck with it because of centuries of experience that showed that it could work. He argues that in reproducing scientific experiments that perseverance may be lacking and that we need to get better at documenting and describing out methods both to reduce the amount of perseverance required and to provide a foundation for that perseverance, reasons to believe that perseverance will pay off.
- schoen 10y agoI really liked the "A living cell is much more complicated.³" which includes a reference to a cell biology book. On reflection, the biggest reason that I liked it is the way it reminded me of Randall Munroe's What If series; if Randall wrote a What If about biology, I'm sure it would include a line like A cell is much more complicated than a clock [citation needed]. But this author went ahead and proactively gave the citation!
- hobarrera 10y agoLink is dead.
- plg 10y agono it's not