|
|
|
|
|
|
by mechanical_fish
5381 days ago
|
|
|
Yes, this is one of the most painful things to do as an experimentalist. You just know that there's some kind of error in the data. Because -- in the memorable words of some teacher of mine [1] -- "you can't really believe an experiment until it's been confirmed by theory." And, yet, you've spent lots and lots of energy and you can't find the problem yourself. And what if there is something there? There are many famous cases of experiments that weren't confirmed by theory until well after the fact; theorists often don't bother to think about a particular corner of the unthinkable until an experiment calls attention to it. So you've just got to publish your data, but also be prepared to laugh it off when the mistake gets identified, or the data proves irreproducible. And then to spend the rest of your career laughing it off, because this spurious result may be the most famous thing you ever publish. You've got to have a good sense of humor to survive as an experimentalist. --- [1] I wish I remembered which teacher said this. |
|
|