Vancouver, BC
It is difficult to hold an audience’s attention while discussing paleopathology or anthropology. In a world filled with flashy infotainment, scientists struggle to present their findings to the public.
Topics are complex and attention spans are short.
By nature, most scientists aren’t people people. Their work requires them to focus on meticulous research, often conducted alone, in window-less rooms. The work they do makes our lives exponentially better, but scientists often don’t present their findings effectively, to the point that scientific discoveries are frequently misunderstood, even maligned in certain circles.
Some science presenters don bow ties, lab coats, and planet-spangled vests to hold their audience’s attention and get their point across.
Bill Nye the Science Guy, Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker, and Neil deGrasse Tyson
There are exceptions to the nerdy, introverted scientist stereotype, and Alice Roberts BSc MB BCh PhD is one of them. Professor Roberts possesses a rare combination of scientific credentials (anatomist, anthropologist, paleopathologist, author, and star-quality entertainer).
Last Saturday, Roberts took us on an electrifying journey, from single-celled organisms to civilization, in a presentation entitled,…
Bear and I were in Vancouver for Mother’s Day; Adam, Bianca, and Leo joined us at the Vancouver Centre for Performing Arts to hear Roberts speak.
In The Story of Us, Professor Roberts describes how life on Earth emerged through an as-yet-not-fully-understood process of abiogenesis, to organic self-replicating molecules, and single celled creatures. The journey continued through early microorganisms and bacteria, to eukaryotes, the ancestors of all animals, plants, fungi, and protozoa, including humans.
Professor Roberts explained how the origin of life on Earth has been meticulously researched, explained and verified, by multi-disciplinary branches of science, to the point that the Theory of Evolution is no more “theoretical” than the Theory of Gravity.
“Science is about evidence, not wishful thinking.” – Alice Roberts
The five of us and about 1000 other attendees listened in rapt attention as Professor Roberts guided us through the development of life on Earth, …
… Four billion years in three hours.
Professor Alice Roberts, mobbed by adoring fans. A phenomenon unfamiliar to most scientists.
While we were in Vancouver last week, we invited Grandson Leo out to Alberta to stay with us for a few days. 19-year-old Leo is Adam’s wife’s son. Our connection is logical, not biological.
Leo’s Dad lives in Ontario, and his real grandfather lives on the gulf islands. Leo has spent most of his holiday time with them over the years, so we have a lot of catching up to do.
My next piece will be entitled …
… Nineteen Years in Ten Days.
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