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When scientists step outside their safe laboratories, anything can happen. Of course, studying wild animals or digging out million-year-old fossils sounds exotic and exciting, but that's only one side of the spectrum. The other side is sometimes gross and scary but mostly it's hilarious. In 2015 scientists started sharing their most embarrassing #Fieldworkfails, and recently French illustrator Jim Jourdane has decided to compile the most memorable ones and turn them into amusing whimsical drawings.

From gluing yourself to a crocodile to walking in a thunderstorm with a 10 feet (3 metre) aerial, these moments show us that science is full of hilarious trainwrecks, too. Jourdane interviewed all scientists whose stories were included in his book to get a better understanding of their fieldwork and its details. "I talked to [them] I realized that there's a lot of problems of communication with the general public about how they work, what they do," he told Gizmodo. Thus, he tried to make his visual anecdotes available to everyone: "Eleven year old children, my grandmother, friends, scientists."

More info: fieldworkfail.com | Facebook

#1

Scientist-blunders-fieldwork-fail-jim-jourdane

Jim Jourdane Report

John L
Community Member
8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hope you had the good sense to anesthetize the fellow BEFORE applying the glue. :D

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    #2

    Scientist-blunders-fieldwork-fail-jim-jourdane

    Jim Jourdane Report

    John L
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm curious Angela, how did you manage to mark the jaguar's territory sign? And then stick around his territory for three weeks. Perhaps the big cat was trying to mate with you? ;D

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    #3

    Scientist-blunders-fieldwork-fail-jim-jourdane

    Jim Jourdane Report

    #4

    Scientist-blunders-fieldwork-fail-jim-jourdane

    Jim Jourdane Report

    earringnut
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    so the urge to tp trees is innate in primates. that explains alot.

    Nancy E
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You needed to call the Charmin bears. They would have protected their T.P.

    Elizabeth Butler
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That just goes to show how related they are to our teenagers

    Pamela Storer
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I have this mental image of a group of baboons nearly falling out of the tree laughing!!

    Neeraj Jha
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    so did u use their decoration (leaves) as your toilet paper?

    Jim Jourdane
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    She answers your question in the book, actually :D

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    BoredBirgit
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Bwahahaaaaaaa... oh... I feel you... ;)

    Ellis
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Hope you took pictures!

    Susan Gardner
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Payback from when we were kids lol

    Steve Lawson
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    They didn't know her address, so they TPed her tree.

    Rabbitt209
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Baboons after my own heart. One of my favorite pastimes in high school! ;-)

    Peter Kehoe
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Did an educated scientist just misspell "roll"? Where was the editor?

    Jim Jourdane
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It has been corrected more than 2 years ago :D The edited version is here fieldworkfail.com/book/ ;)

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    Peter Kehoe
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Did a real scientist just misspell "roll"???? Where was the editor?

    Blue Cicada
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I thought tp'ing was a 1960's American thing. It clearly is an ancient, primitive behavior. (To tp is to spread toilet paper across a person's lawn, trees, shrubs, etc.)

    June Pixeld
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So, did anyone climb to recover some? The suspense*

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    #5

    Scientist-blunders-fieldwork-fail-jim-jourdane

    Jim Jourdane Report

    Ilya Ditkovskiy
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Those lions just have a bad taste in music -.-

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    #7

    Scientist-blunders-fieldwork-fail-jim-jourdane

    Jim Jourdane Report

    John L
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This cartoon does not represent the circumstances. The vials exploded because the suitcase was stored in a non-pressurized compartment. Passenger compartments are always pressurized, and this would not have happened.

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    #8

    Scientist-blunders-fieldwork-fail-jim-jourdane

    Jim Jourdane Report

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    #10

    Scientist-blunders-fieldwork-fail-jim-jourdane

    Jim Jourdane Report

    Vlad Horobet
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Honestly, without this image I would've not get the idea. Thanks artist.

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    #13

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    Jim Jourdane Report

    selket
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Don't worry, you'll get it back.... in about a day or two.... Just don't lick it afterwards! :D

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    #14

    Scientist-blunders-fieldwork-fail-jim-jourdane

    Jim Jourdane Report

    Cassiel Magem
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "This humans can't just learn to respect privacy"

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    #15

    Scientist-blunders-fieldwork-fail-jim-jourdane

    Jim Jourdane Report

    selket
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So... did the elves save you after finding your pants with the message? :D

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    #16

    Scientist-blunders-fieldwork-fail-jim-jourdane

    Jim Jourdane Report

    Ben Smith
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    There was a bridge over a river you thought you could jump across?? Either youre VERY optimistic or the bridge is very short

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    #17

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    Jim Jourdane Report

    Virgil Blue
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Those bees should have tiny question marks over their heads in the picture.

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    #18

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    Jim Jourdane Report

    selket
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Awww, dissapointment of the year :)

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    #19

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    Jim Jourdane Report

    Sanchit Jain
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    cartoon illustration is reverse of what mentioned in caption..

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    #21

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    Jim Jourdane Report

    Vlad Horobet
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I can't believe this one is real. Seems more like cartoon. How can you not see a damn elephant? xD

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    #22

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    Jim Jourdane Report

    Full Name
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'd've been completely naked. Forget modesty, I've got some parts I consider higher up the "don't get bitten" ladder.

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    #23

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    Jim Jourdane Report

    Sanchit Jain
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    did u had to melt them again to remove them?

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    #26

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    Jim Jourdane Report

    Pi...
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Couldn't it have been lifted in a bag just like dog poop?

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