Science: It's not all crisp lab coats and bubbling beakers.
While tracking large alligator, remarked to colleagues, "Wow, these tracks look really fresh!" Looked up. "Oh, there it is." #fieldworkfail
— Anthony J. Martin (@Ichnologist) July 31, 2015
And sometimes they make gross mistakes.
Forgot weight belt. Put rocks in my shorts for ballast. Rocks covered in fire coral #fieldworkfail
— Alistair Dove (@DrAlistairDove) July 31, 2015
Suspect you have found asbestos tile in unit. Ask fellow archaeologist. They put the tile in their mouth. (it was asbestos)#fieldworkfail
— C. E. M. Henderson (@cemhend) August 5, 2015
When you collect a shallow sediment core through a buried bag of poop that's a #fieldworkfail
— 🎃 Finally Remembered The 🎃 (@crabioscar) August 5, 2015
Lick tiny object to discern if fossil/rock. Fossil. Sticks to tongue. Coughing fit from dust. Sharp inhale. Swallow fossil. #fieldworkfail
— Trevor 'S. is for Spooky' Valle (@tattoosandbones) July 31, 2015
Transportation issues abound.
The first time I hiked to active lava flows in HI, I melted the soles of my boots. Then I went through water and they shrank. #fieldworkfail
— Dr. Jessica Ball 🍪 (@Tuff_Cookie) July 30, 2015
Sank the boat in the middle of a crocodile survey. Twice. #fieldworkfail pic.twitter.com/cYSQ9DkA4F
— Agata Staniewicz (@AgataStaniewicz) July 30, 2015
#fieldworkfail for #icephoto Wednesday: the time I tried to jump a glacial stream but fell in it instead! #greenland pic.twitter.com/zPc1faBqY4
— Ellyn Enderlin (@glacier_doc) August 5, 2015
Swimming after run-away boat in croc-infested waters #fieldworkfail @stri_panama pic.twitter.com/7PJ1qoenkk
— Diana Sharpe (@sharpe_diana) August 5, 2015
Glue is apparently a big issue.
Accidentally glued myself to a crocodile while attaching a radio transmitter. #fieldworkfail
— Agata Staniewicz (@AgataStaniewicz) July 30, 2015
Not a crocodile but I accidentally glued myself to a very angry crab. #fieldworkfail #Igluedmyself @AgataStaniewicz pic.twitter.com/OeIzUfLWVR
— P. Sean McDonald (@pseanmc) July 31, 2015
Illusive lizards are apparently a problem, too.
See a salamander, while going to catch it see a different salamander, get distracted, catch zero salamanders #fieldworkfail
— Nick Caruso, PhD (@PlethodoNick) July 30, 2015
A lizard that had eluded capture for weeks jumped on my head and ran down the entire length of me. I still couldn't catch it. #fieldworkfail
— Ambika Kamath (@ambikamath) July 30, 2015
And even if most of the science you do happens inside, things can still go horribly awry.
I've never done fieldwork so I can't contribute to #fieldworkfail but I was once involved* in a lab fire at Caltech.
— Katie Mack (@AstroKatie) August 1, 2015
*totally not my fault
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