We’ve all been there. You’re trying to take a selfie with a tapir, and the blasted thing only goes and eats your spectacles.
Try getting selfie with tapir. Tapir eats glasses.
— christopher schmitt (@fuzzyatelin)
This photo, captured by Christopher Schmitt, assistant professor of biological anthropology at Boston University, succinctly demonstrates how academics across the world are – day in, day out – risking everything in their relentless pursuit of knowledge.
It is also one of hundreds of tweets sent using the hashtag – a collection of honest scholars revealing those moments when their hands-on research didn’t go exactly to plan. A bit like #OverlyHonestMethods, which saw academics revealing some of their not-so-scientific approaches.
Professor Schmitt wasn’t the only one encountering problems with animals…
Accidentally glued myself to a crocodile while attaching a radio transmitter.
— Agata Staniewicz (@AgataStaniewicz)
Hyrax nibble engine wires. No headlights. No indicators. Horn beeps intermittently of its own accord.
— James Probert (@SerengetiFire)
When your drugged zebra finds the ONE tree on the Namibian plains, which also has a neck-height fork
— Carrie Cizauskas (@CarrieCizauskas)
when you’re trying to get a young Yellow-Crowned Night Heron to cooperate for a picture… But
— Trill deGrasse Tyson (@JasonWardNY)
?…and transport was also a real issue.
Rental car companies probably should ask if you are a field biologist
— Marcella J. Kelly (@marcellajkelly)
Don’t enter a wadi without a proper car.
— Matthias Lang (@MatthiasLang2)
My landrover on the way back from the garage
— Sarah Durant (@SarahMDurant)
In fact, some scholars seemed intent on getting themselves stranded…
Getting the truck stuck in a river in the middle of Mongolia whilst searching for bats ”
— BATTULGA Nergui (@tomoomn)
Field assistant got stuck during pond survey. Took photo then helped :)
— Chris Hassall (@katatrepsis)
Swimming after run-away boat in croc-infested waters
— Diana Sharpe (@sharpe_diana)
…but even when they did arrive safely, not everyone had the right tools for the job.
Dropped phone to a deep hole in the ground. Spent rest of the day digging it up.
— KMO Archaeology (@KMOArchaeology)
When you realize the you’ve been radio-tracking is actually just beeps from the crosswalk
— Cylita Guy (@CylitaGuy)
Finally, spare a thought for the University of California, Davis’ Alan Krakauer. I certainly wouldn’t want to switch places with him…
Learning the hard way how windy it gets in Wyoming.
— Alan Krakauer (@alan_krakauer)
You can see more #FieldworkFail tweets .
