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
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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.
You're right John ! (I'm the illustrator) I exagerated a little bit in the illustration, in the book I explain more in detail that the scientist discovered the mess only when she opened her suitcase at home :)
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That's unfortunately the grossest thing I have ever seen that poor woman and then trying to explain herself after. " it's okay people it's just elephant blood everything is fine."
The samples were in the cargo hold, and were sealed, but some were obviously not sealed well enough to deal with the pressure change (NB most made it, but there were enough that popped their seals to make this...interesting). Jim illustrated this in a funnier way than what actually happened - don't worry! Also, everything was permitted, including all the hands on work with the elephants. And everything was done with several wildlife veterinarians (including myself) involved.
I've had a fountain pen explode in the so-called-pressurized passenger compartment of an airplane, in my handbag, so why couldn't vials of elephant blood explode?
I played with the vial, there's blood on the plane, Oh Baby, Baby.......
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did airline sue you for the mess, am sure blood on carpet and seat covers cannot be cleaned
Blood can be cleaned. Crime scene steam and clean guys do that all the time.
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John L... Small, non-commercial planes for short hops. And why be a spoilsport?
Even pressurized compartments do lose some pressure at high altitudes. If they weren't proper sealable containers, they could have burst open.
I've had nightmares like this, sitting next to someone in a plane, and then get splattered with blood. At which point, I know I'm doomed!
I've had a bag of chips explode in the cabin, so even though it may be pressurized, there is still an issue. Otherwise, why do some people have pain in their ears?
Load More Replies... They were very well cared for by an experienced team of wildlife veterinarians.
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Honestly, without this image I would've not get the idea. Thanks artist.
Those bees should have tiny question marks over their heads in the picture.
I can't believe this one is real. Seems more like cartoon. How can you not see a damn elephant? xD
The cartoons were cute but it seems some people expected them to be exact representations. It was kind of a bummer reading so many critical comments, BP is usually better than that.
Especially as the drawings are supposed to make us laugh
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There are much more illustrations on the book! http://fieldworkfail.com/book/
Load More Replies... Hi! I'm the illustrator. Don't hesitate to ask me questions or comments, here or on my page (link on the article) :)
I enjoyed your work very much! I'm sorry that you had to put up with the negative pseudo experts. You are very patient!
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I was fasinated with science when I was young. Mostly biology and geology. When I was about 5, I found a few big crystals that were flat green, one or two light brown spots. At first I thought it was rare amazonite, so I dug for about 3 hours and found two more samples. I looked in my mineral pricing book, and they were work around $5000 total! ...turns out my dad was being a jerk and spray painted quartz flat green to fool be... But, yeah. Whatever.
The cartoons were cute but it seems some people expected them to be exact representations. It was kind of a bummer reading so many critical comments, BP is usually better than that.
Especially as the drawings are supposed to make us laugh
Load More Replies... There are much more illustrations on the book! http://fieldworkfail.com/book/
Load More Replies... Hi! I'm the illustrator. Don't hesitate to ask me questions or comments, here or on my page (link on the article) :)
I enjoyed your work very much! I'm sorry that you had to put up with the negative pseudo experts. You are very patient!
Load More Replies... I was fasinated with science when I was young. Mostly biology and geology. When I was about 5, I found a few big crystals that were flat green, one or two light brown spots. At first I thought it was rare amazonite, so I dug for about 3 hours and found two more samples. I looked in my mineral pricing book, and they were work around $5000 total! ...turns out my dad was being a jerk and spray painted quartz flat green to fool be... But, yeah. Whatever.
