Examples of when the professional scientists or mathematicians were wrong, but the nonprofessionals were...












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What are the most glaring examples -- if any -- of when the professional scientists or mathematicians were wrong, but the nonprofessionals were right?










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  • 2




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    Two things: math was far ahead of nearly all fields of science in its rigor and procedures until relatively recently; and in nearly all cases "nonprofessionals" were right in a tiny percentage of their beliefs. They were correct by accident, not by insight.
    $endgroup$
    – Carl Witthoft
    16 hours ago






  • 3




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    I don't know the local standards but isn't this just a list question and hence should be closed?
    $endgroup$
    – Tim B
    13 hours ago










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    I don't recall the details, but wasn't it originally believed that rocket travel in space was impossible because with no atmosphere, there's nothing to push against and therefore, by Newton's Third Law, no way to get acceleration?
    $endgroup$
    – Mason Wheeler
    8 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    @MasonWheeler: I don't know the history, but I would be really surprised if that was the case. Conservation of momentum is a very basic fact in Newtonian mechanis, so the idea of "I expel matter in one direction, I move in the other" should have been obvious to any physicist.
    $endgroup$
    – Martin Argerami
    12 mins ago
















11












$begingroup$


What are the most glaring examples -- if any -- of when the professional scientists or mathematicians were wrong, but the nonprofessionals were right?










share|improve this question







New contributor




Seth Rich is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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$endgroup$








  • 2




    $begingroup$
    Two things: math was far ahead of nearly all fields of science in its rigor and procedures until relatively recently; and in nearly all cases "nonprofessionals" were right in a tiny percentage of their beliefs. They were correct by accident, not by insight.
    $endgroup$
    – Carl Witthoft
    16 hours ago






  • 3




    $begingroup$
    I don't know the local standards but isn't this just a list question and hence should be closed?
    $endgroup$
    – Tim B
    13 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    I don't recall the details, but wasn't it originally believed that rocket travel in space was impossible because with no atmosphere, there's nothing to push against and therefore, by Newton's Third Law, no way to get acceleration?
    $endgroup$
    – Mason Wheeler
    8 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    @MasonWheeler: I don't know the history, but I would be really surprised if that was the case. Conservation of momentum is a very basic fact in Newtonian mechanis, so the idea of "I expel matter in one direction, I move in the other" should have been obvious to any physicist.
    $endgroup$
    – Martin Argerami
    12 mins ago














11












11








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What are the most glaring examples -- if any -- of when the professional scientists or mathematicians were wrong, but the nonprofessionals were right?










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What are the most glaring examples -- if any -- of when the professional scientists or mathematicians were wrong, but the nonprofessionals were right?







mathematicians scientific-method






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asked 23 hours ago









Seth RichSeth Rich

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  • 2




    $begingroup$
    Two things: math was far ahead of nearly all fields of science in its rigor and procedures until relatively recently; and in nearly all cases "nonprofessionals" were right in a tiny percentage of their beliefs. They were correct by accident, not by insight.
    $endgroup$
    – Carl Witthoft
    16 hours ago






  • 3




    $begingroup$
    I don't know the local standards but isn't this just a list question and hence should be closed?
    $endgroup$
    – Tim B
    13 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    I don't recall the details, but wasn't it originally believed that rocket travel in space was impossible because with no atmosphere, there's nothing to push against and therefore, by Newton's Third Law, no way to get acceleration?
    $endgroup$
    – Mason Wheeler
    8 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    @MasonWheeler: I don't know the history, but I would be really surprised if that was the case. Conservation of momentum is a very basic fact in Newtonian mechanis, so the idea of "I expel matter in one direction, I move in the other" should have been obvious to any physicist.
    $endgroup$
    – Martin Argerami
    12 mins ago














  • 2




    $begingroup$
    Two things: math was far ahead of nearly all fields of science in its rigor and procedures until relatively recently; and in nearly all cases "nonprofessionals" were right in a tiny percentage of their beliefs. They were correct by accident, not by insight.
    $endgroup$
    – Carl Witthoft
    16 hours ago






  • 3




    $begingroup$
    I don't know the local standards but isn't this just a list question and hence should be closed?
    $endgroup$
    – Tim B
    13 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    I don't recall the details, but wasn't it originally believed that rocket travel in space was impossible because with no atmosphere, there's nothing to push against and therefore, by Newton's Third Law, no way to get acceleration?
    $endgroup$
    – Mason Wheeler
    8 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    @MasonWheeler: I don't know the history, but I would be really surprised if that was the case. Conservation of momentum is a very basic fact in Newtonian mechanis, so the idea of "I expel matter in one direction, I move in the other" should have been obvious to any physicist.
    $endgroup$
    – Martin Argerami
    12 mins ago








2




2




$begingroup$
Two things: math was far ahead of nearly all fields of science in its rigor and procedures until relatively recently; and in nearly all cases "nonprofessionals" were right in a tiny percentage of their beliefs. They were correct by accident, not by insight.
$endgroup$
– Carl Witthoft
16 hours ago




$begingroup$
Two things: math was far ahead of nearly all fields of science in its rigor and procedures until relatively recently; and in nearly all cases "nonprofessionals" were right in a tiny percentage of their beliefs. They were correct by accident, not by insight.
$endgroup$
– Carl Witthoft
16 hours ago




3




3




$begingroup$
I don't know the local standards but isn't this just a list question and hence should be closed?
$endgroup$
– Tim B
13 hours ago




$begingroup$
I don't know the local standards but isn't this just a list question and hence should be closed?
$endgroup$
– Tim B
13 hours ago












$begingroup$
I don't recall the details, but wasn't it originally believed that rocket travel in space was impossible because with no atmosphere, there's nothing to push against and therefore, by Newton's Third Law, no way to get acceleration?
$endgroup$
– Mason Wheeler
8 hours ago




$begingroup$
I don't recall the details, but wasn't it originally believed that rocket travel in space was impossible because with no atmosphere, there's nothing to push against and therefore, by Newton's Third Law, no way to get acceleration?
$endgroup$
– Mason Wheeler
8 hours ago












$begingroup$
@MasonWheeler: I don't know the history, but I would be really surprised if that was the case. Conservation of momentum is a very basic fact in Newtonian mechanis, so the idea of "I expel matter in one direction, I move in the other" should have been obvious to any physicist.
$endgroup$
– Martin Argerami
12 mins ago




$begingroup$
@MasonWheeler: I don't know the history, but I would be really surprised if that was the case. Conservation of momentum is a very basic fact in Newtonian mechanis, so the idea of "I expel matter in one direction, I move in the other" should have been obvious to any physicist.
$endgroup$
– Martin Argerami
12 mins ago










8 Answers
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It seems ball lightning was disbelieved by scientists until around 1960. See Wikipedia .



I knew a geologist who told us how his eye-witness account of ball lightning had been ridiculed.






share|improve this answer









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  • 1




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    Eyewitnesses are routinely disbelieved because witness reports are the second-least-reliable source of information.
    $endgroup$
    – Mark
    4 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    @Mark what's the least reliable?
    $endgroup$
    – Pedro A
    3 hours ago






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    $begingroup$
    @PedroA, an eyewitness report as relayed by a third party.
    $endgroup$
    – Mark
    3 hours ago



















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Take meteorites, for instance. By the end of the XVIIIth century, educated people “knew” that no rock found on Earth could possibly have fallen from the sky, in spite of the evidence (eyewitnesses included) for their existence. This state of affairs lasted until 1803, when Jean-Baptiste Biot established the reality of meteorites.






share|improve this answer











$endgroup$









  • 1




    $begingroup$
    The WP link doesn't seem to support your interpretation. It sounds like the question was not even taken up by professional scientists until 1794, when Chladni, a professional scientist, published a book saying that they did fall from the sky. This was followed rapidly by the supporting evidence from Biot.
    $endgroup$
    – Ben Crowell
    13 hours ago












  • $begingroup$
    I've edited my answer and changed the link.
    $endgroup$
    – José Carlos Santos
    13 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    The Westrum paper is paywalled. Does it contradict the interpretation in the WP article, or supply additional facts that are not in the WP article?
    $endgroup$
    – Ben Crowell
    10 hours ago






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    I was not aware that it was paywalld. It supplies more facts. For instance it says three members of the Académie Royale des Sciences (among whom Lavoisier) claimed, in 1772, that “’true physicists’ had always regarded the existence of such stones [fallen from the sky] as very doubtful”.
    $endgroup$
    – José Carlos Santos
    9 hours ago





















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Just warning not to include pre-1920s medicine (and a lot of medical mantra thru the 20th century), as there was little to no science involved amongst physicians. Just look at how difficult it was for Lister et. al. to convince hospitals, midwives, etc. to wash their hands and sterilize operating theatres.



There are dozens of incorrect anecdotes purporting to show scientists were wrong. The "bumblebee can't fly" is one such. The truth behind the science/engineering theories is rather different.






share|improve this answer









$endgroup$













  • $begingroup$
    Note that the actual statement in the bumblebee case is "the bumblebee can't fly using aerodynamic lift" -- and in fact, it doesn't. It flies using a different technique involving dynamic stall.
    $endgroup$
    – Mark
    4 hours ago



















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The Green Flash was
described for the first time (at least in the Western literature) by Jules Verne,
a science fiction writer.
Many scientists did not believe until photographs were taken and published.



Herbert Wells in 1914 described the use of nuclear energy for both bombs and peaceful applications. (His novel The world Set Free). At approximately the same time many scientists thought this was impossible.
(Rutherford is on record for saying this publicly, that nuclear energy will be never used).






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  • 2




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    HG Wells wrote many science fiction novels. That one happened to reflect something which later turned out to be correct is really just the dice falling right, with a whole bunch of other novels which turned out not to work out. Anyway, Wells was always about the concept, and the society, not the hard science.
    $endgroup$
    – Graham
    8 hours ago



















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I think a famous example is the Monty Hall problem` https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Hall_problem about switching doors.
The problem was answered correctly by Marilyn vos Savant, but she got
baskets of letters from experts that she is wrong.






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    But the rate of correct answers was far higher among the educated (at least in math and physics) than among the great unwashed masses.
    $endgroup$
    – Carl Witthoft
    10 hours ago






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    @ Carl Witthoft, do you have hard data about this or is it just a guess?
    $endgroup$
    – Karl
    10 hours ago






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    This is not an accurate description of what happened. Marilyn Vos Savant thought she was answering the Monty Hall problem but was actually answering the evil Monty problem, which has a different answer. Lots of people wrote to explain to her that she was wrong and she stubbornly insisted that they were wrong. (In her statement of the problem, Monty offers to let you switch doors after he knows which door you chose with no requirement to do so. For all you know, Monty only extends this offer to people who he knows chose the right door. So switching could guarantee a loss in this variant.)
    $endgroup$
    – David Schwartz
    8 hours ago








  • 1




    $begingroup$
    Also, please note that (1) the problem permeated the mathematics community far ahead of vos Savant's rise to prominence; (2) the large majority of professional mathematicians were right about the problem. "baskets of letters" does not necessarily represent "the professional ... mathematicians" as a whole.
    $endgroup$
    – Prune
    7 hours ago










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    Karl, re Carl Witthoft's comment MvS wrote "Of the letters from the general public, 92% are against my answer, and of the letters from universities, 65% are against my answer." @David Schwartz, it's true that the problem has no solution unless you state Monty's general strategy; neither the asker of the question nor vos Savant did that; and from her explanations it's not clear that she understands how critical Monty's motivation is. However, the authors of the letters she quoted don't seem to understand that either, and no one mentioned evil Monty (or any other well-defined Monty).
    $endgroup$
    – benrg
    4 hours ago





















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Albert Einstein, patent clerk and John Stewart Bell, particle accelerator designer spring to mind as developing important theories while not employed professionally as scientists in the field they were working in. Similarly, many of the enlightenment scientists were gentleman hobbyists who looked down on professional scientists.






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    Both Einstein and Bell completed their PhDs before or while doing their major work, though. Einstein took a day job at the patent office while searching for a teaching position, and Bell developed his theorem while on leave from CERN.
    $endgroup$
    – Ray
    10 hours ago






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    The other objection is: these two did not have trouble publishing their work. Which shows it was not rejected by all the professionals.
    $endgroup$
    – Gerald Edgar
    8 hours ago



















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In 1726's Gulliver's Travels, Jonathan Swift mocked the learned scientists of Britain for not having solved the Longitude problem: Figure out a way to keep track of one's east-west location to within a mile after making a round-trip across the Atlantic. This was one of the most important scientific challenges of the 18th century. The British Parliament had an outstanding offer of £ 20,000 for a solution, and had trusted the astronomers at the Royal Observatory with awarding the prize. The prize was worth several times the modern-day Nobel Prize, and was famous at the time.



In 1731, a watchmaker named John Harrison solved the problem. The astronomers at the Observatory refused to believe him. Over the next 40 years, Harrison steadily refined his solution, but the astronomers never did award him the prize. In 1741, hundreds of British sailors died because Harrison's solution was not released to the public. It took an act of Parliament in 1773 before Harrison was finally given his prize, and east-west navigation could be made safe.






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    Look at the writings of William Gibson. He invented terms and described conditions and approaches relating to the advancement of computer technology, and the way it impacts our culture. Some were original, some were pioneering but not strictly speaking his own.






    share|improve this answer








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    $endgroup$









    • 2




      $begingroup$
      But were professional computer scientists wrong about these? (That's the other part of the question.)
      $endgroup$
      – Gerald Edgar
      6 hours ago











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    8 Answers
    8






    active

    oldest

    votes








    8 Answers
    8






    active

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    active

    oldest

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    active

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    10












    $begingroup$

    It seems ball lightning was disbelieved by scientists until around 1960. See Wikipedia .



    I knew a geologist who told us how his eye-witness account of ball lightning had been ridiculed.






    share|improve this answer









    $endgroup$









    • 1




      $begingroup$
      Eyewitnesses are routinely disbelieved because witness reports are the second-least-reliable source of information.
      $endgroup$
      – Mark
      4 hours ago










    • $begingroup$
      @Mark what's the least reliable?
      $endgroup$
      – Pedro A
      3 hours ago






    • 1




      $begingroup$
      @PedroA, an eyewitness report as relayed by a third party.
      $endgroup$
      – Mark
      3 hours ago
















    10












    $begingroup$

    It seems ball lightning was disbelieved by scientists until around 1960. See Wikipedia .



    I knew a geologist who told us how his eye-witness account of ball lightning had been ridiculed.






    share|improve this answer









    $endgroup$









    • 1




      $begingroup$
      Eyewitnesses are routinely disbelieved because witness reports are the second-least-reliable source of information.
      $endgroup$
      – Mark
      4 hours ago










    • $begingroup$
      @Mark what's the least reliable?
      $endgroup$
      – Pedro A
      3 hours ago






    • 1




      $begingroup$
      @PedroA, an eyewitness report as relayed by a third party.
      $endgroup$
      – Mark
      3 hours ago














    10












    10








    10





    $begingroup$

    It seems ball lightning was disbelieved by scientists until around 1960. See Wikipedia .



    I knew a geologist who told us how his eye-witness account of ball lightning had been ridiculed.






    share|improve this answer









    $endgroup$



    It seems ball lightning was disbelieved by scientists until around 1960. See Wikipedia .



    I knew a geologist who told us how his eye-witness account of ball lightning had been ridiculed.







    share|improve this answer












    share|improve this answer



    share|improve this answer










    answered 15 hours ago









    Gerald EdgarGerald Edgar

    3,7511618




    3,7511618








    • 1




      $begingroup$
      Eyewitnesses are routinely disbelieved because witness reports are the second-least-reliable source of information.
      $endgroup$
      – Mark
      4 hours ago










    • $begingroup$
      @Mark what's the least reliable?
      $endgroup$
      – Pedro A
      3 hours ago






    • 1




      $begingroup$
      @PedroA, an eyewitness report as relayed by a third party.
      $endgroup$
      – Mark
      3 hours ago














    • 1




      $begingroup$
      Eyewitnesses are routinely disbelieved because witness reports are the second-least-reliable source of information.
      $endgroup$
      – Mark
      4 hours ago










    • $begingroup$
      @Mark what's the least reliable?
      $endgroup$
      – Pedro A
      3 hours ago






    • 1




      $begingroup$
      @PedroA, an eyewitness report as relayed by a third party.
      $endgroup$
      – Mark
      3 hours ago








    1




    1




    $begingroup$
    Eyewitnesses are routinely disbelieved because witness reports are the second-least-reliable source of information.
    $endgroup$
    – Mark
    4 hours ago




    $begingroup$
    Eyewitnesses are routinely disbelieved because witness reports are the second-least-reliable source of information.
    $endgroup$
    – Mark
    4 hours ago












    $begingroup$
    @Mark what's the least reliable?
    $endgroup$
    – Pedro A
    3 hours ago




    $begingroup$
    @Mark what's the least reliable?
    $endgroup$
    – Pedro A
    3 hours ago




    1




    1




    $begingroup$
    @PedroA, an eyewitness report as relayed by a third party.
    $endgroup$
    – Mark
    3 hours ago




    $begingroup$
    @PedroA, an eyewitness report as relayed by a third party.
    $endgroup$
    – Mark
    3 hours ago











    8












    $begingroup$

    Take meteorites, for instance. By the end of the XVIIIth century, educated people “knew” that no rock found on Earth could possibly have fallen from the sky, in spite of the evidence (eyewitnesses included) for their existence. This state of affairs lasted until 1803, when Jean-Baptiste Biot established the reality of meteorites.






    share|improve this answer











    $endgroup$









    • 1




      $begingroup$
      The WP link doesn't seem to support your interpretation. It sounds like the question was not even taken up by professional scientists until 1794, when Chladni, a professional scientist, published a book saying that they did fall from the sky. This was followed rapidly by the supporting evidence from Biot.
      $endgroup$
      – Ben Crowell
      13 hours ago












    • $begingroup$
      I've edited my answer and changed the link.
      $endgroup$
      – José Carlos Santos
      13 hours ago










    • $begingroup$
      The Westrum paper is paywalled. Does it contradict the interpretation in the WP article, or supply additional facts that are not in the WP article?
      $endgroup$
      – Ben Crowell
      10 hours ago






    • 1




      $begingroup$
      I was not aware that it was paywalld. It supplies more facts. For instance it says three members of the Académie Royale des Sciences (among whom Lavoisier) claimed, in 1772, that “’true physicists’ had always regarded the existence of such stones [fallen from the sky] as very doubtful”.
      $endgroup$
      – José Carlos Santos
      9 hours ago


















    8












    $begingroup$

    Take meteorites, for instance. By the end of the XVIIIth century, educated people “knew” that no rock found on Earth could possibly have fallen from the sky, in spite of the evidence (eyewitnesses included) for their existence. This state of affairs lasted until 1803, when Jean-Baptiste Biot established the reality of meteorites.






    share|improve this answer











    $endgroup$









    • 1




      $begingroup$
      The WP link doesn't seem to support your interpretation. It sounds like the question was not even taken up by professional scientists until 1794, when Chladni, a professional scientist, published a book saying that they did fall from the sky. This was followed rapidly by the supporting evidence from Biot.
      $endgroup$
      – Ben Crowell
      13 hours ago












    • $begingroup$
      I've edited my answer and changed the link.
      $endgroup$
      – José Carlos Santos
      13 hours ago










    • $begingroup$
      The Westrum paper is paywalled. Does it contradict the interpretation in the WP article, or supply additional facts that are not in the WP article?
      $endgroup$
      – Ben Crowell
      10 hours ago






    • 1




      $begingroup$
      I was not aware that it was paywalld. It supplies more facts. For instance it says three members of the Académie Royale des Sciences (among whom Lavoisier) claimed, in 1772, that “’true physicists’ had always regarded the existence of such stones [fallen from the sky] as very doubtful”.
      $endgroup$
      – José Carlos Santos
      9 hours ago
















    8












    8








    8





    $begingroup$

    Take meteorites, for instance. By the end of the XVIIIth century, educated people “knew” that no rock found on Earth could possibly have fallen from the sky, in spite of the evidence (eyewitnesses included) for their existence. This state of affairs lasted until 1803, when Jean-Baptiste Biot established the reality of meteorites.






    share|improve this answer











    $endgroup$



    Take meteorites, for instance. By the end of the XVIIIth century, educated people “knew” that no rock found on Earth could possibly have fallen from the sky, in spite of the evidence (eyewitnesses included) for their existence. This state of affairs lasted until 1803, when Jean-Baptiste Biot established the reality of meteorites.







    share|improve this answer














    share|improve this answer



    share|improve this answer








    edited 13 hours ago

























    answered 22 hours ago









    José Carlos SantosJosé Carlos Santos

    1,9041426




    1,9041426








    • 1




      $begingroup$
      The WP link doesn't seem to support your interpretation. It sounds like the question was not even taken up by professional scientists until 1794, when Chladni, a professional scientist, published a book saying that they did fall from the sky. This was followed rapidly by the supporting evidence from Biot.
      $endgroup$
      – Ben Crowell
      13 hours ago












    • $begingroup$
      I've edited my answer and changed the link.
      $endgroup$
      – José Carlos Santos
      13 hours ago










    • $begingroup$
      The Westrum paper is paywalled. Does it contradict the interpretation in the WP article, or supply additional facts that are not in the WP article?
      $endgroup$
      – Ben Crowell
      10 hours ago






    • 1




      $begingroup$
      I was not aware that it was paywalld. It supplies more facts. For instance it says three members of the Académie Royale des Sciences (among whom Lavoisier) claimed, in 1772, that “’true physicists’ had always regarded the existence of such stones [fallen from the sky] as very doubtful”.
      $endgroup$
      – José Carlos Santos
      9 hours ago
















    • 1




      $begingroup$
      The WP link doesn't seem to support your interpretation. It sounds like the question was not even taken up by professional scientists until 1794, when Chladni, a professional scientist, published a book saying that they did fall from the sky. This was followed rapidly by the supporting evidence from Biot.
      $endgroup$
      – Ben Crowell
      13 hours ago












    • $begingroup$
      I've edited my answer and changed the link.
      $endgroup$
      – José Carlos Santos
      13 hours ago










    • $begingroup$
      The Westrum paper is paywalled. Does it contradict the interpretation in the WP article, or supply additional facts that are not in the WP article?
      $endgroup$
      – Ben Crowell
      10 hours ago






    • 1




      $begingroup$
      I was not aware that it was paywalld. It supplies more facts. For instance it says three members of the Académie Royale des Sciences (among whom Lavoisier) claimed, in 1772, that “’true physicists’ had always regarded the existence of such stones [fallen from the sky] as very doubtful”.
      $endgroup$
      – José Carlos Santos
      9 hours ago










    1




    1




    $begingroup$
    The WP link doesn't seem to support your interpretation. It sounds like the question was not even taken up by professional scientists until 1794, when Chladni, a professional scientist, published a book saying that they did fall from the sky. This was followed rapidly by the supporting evidence from Biot.
    $endgroup$
    – Ben Crowell
    13 hours ago






    $begingroup$
    The WP link doesn't seem to support your interpretation. It sounds like the question was not even taken up by professional scientists until 1794, when Chladni, a professional scientist, published a book saying that they did fall from the sky. This was followed rapidly by the supporting evidence from Biot.
    $endgroup$
    – Ben Crowell
    13 hours ago














    $begingroup$
    I've edited my answer and changed the link.
    $endgroup$
    – José Carlos Santos
    13 hours ago




    $begingroup$
    I've edited my answer and changed the link.
    $endgroup$
    – José Carlos Santos
    13 hours ago












    $begingroup$
    The Westrum paper is paywalled. Does it contradict the interpretation in the WP article, or supply additional facts that are not in the WP article?
    $endgroup$
    – Ben Crowell
    10 hours ago




    $begingroup$
    The Westrum paper is paywalled. Does it contradict the interpretation in the WP article, or supply additional facts that are not in the WP article?
    $endgroup$
    – Ben Crowell
    10 hours ago




    1




    1




    $begingroup$
    I was not aware that it was paywalld. It supplies more facts. For instance it says three members of the Académie Royale des Sciences (among whom Lavoisier) claimed, in 1772, that “’true physicists’ had always regarded the existence of such stones [fallen from the sky] as very doubtful”.
    $endgroup$
    – José Carlos Santos
    9 hours ago






    $begingroup$
    I was not aware that it was paywalld. It supplies more facts. For instance it says three members of the Académie Royale des Sciences (among whom Lavoisier) claimed, in 1772, that “’true physicists’ had always regarded the existence of such stones [fallen from the sky] as very doubtful”.
    $endgroup$
    – José Carlos Santos
    9 hours ago













    5












    $begingroup$

    Just warning not to include pre-1920s medicine (and a lot of medical mantra thru the 20th century), as there was little to no science involved amongst physicians. Just look at how difficult it was for Lister et. al. to convince hospitals, midwives, etc. to wash their hands and sterilize operating theatres.



    There are dozens of incorrect anecdotes purporting to show scientists were wrong. The "bumblebee can't fly" is one such. The truth behind the science/engineering theories is rather different.






    share|improve this answer









    $endgroup$













    • $begingroup$
      Note that the actual statement in the bumblebee case is "the bumblebee can't fly using aerodynamic lift" -- and in fact, it doesn't. It flies using a different technique involving dynamic stall.
      $endgroup$
      – Mark
      4 hours ago
















    5












    $begingroup$

    Just warning not to include pre-1920s medicine (and a lot of medical mantra thru the 20th century), as there was little to no science involved amongst physicians. Just look at how difficult it was for Lister et. al. to convince hospitals, midwives, etc. to wash their hands and sterilize operating theatres.



    There are dozens of incorrect anecdotes purporting to show scientists were wrong. The "bumblebee can't fly" is one such. The truth behind the science/engineering theories is rather different.






    share|improve this answer









    $endgroup$













    • $begingroup$
      Note that the actual statement in the bumblebee case is "the bumblebee can't fly using aerodynamic lift" -- and in fact, it doesn't. It flies using a different technique involving dynamic stall.
      $endgroup$
      – Mark
      4 hours ago














    5












    5








    5





    $begingroup$

    Just warning not to include pre-1920s medicine (and a lot of medical mantra thru the 20th century), as there was little to no science involved amongst physicians. Just look at how difficult it was for Lister et. al. to convince hospitals, midwives, etc. to wash their hands and sterilize operating theatres.



    There are dozens of incorrect anecdotes purporting to show scientists were wrong. The "bumblebee can't fly" is one such. The truth behind the science/engineering theories is rather different.






    share|improve this answer









    $endgroup$



    Just warning not to include pre-1920s medicine (and a lot of medical mantra thru the 20th century), as there was little to no science involved amongst physicians. Just look at how difficult it was for Lister et. al. to convince hospitals, midwives, etc. to wash their hands and sterilize operating theatres.



    There are dozens of incorrect anecdotes purporting to show scientists were wrong. The "bumblebee can't fly" is one such. The truth behind the science/engineering theories is rather different.







    share|improve this answer












    share|improve this answer



    share|improve this answer










    answered 16 hours ago









    Carl WitthoftCarl Witthoft

    1,12246




    1,12246












    • $begingroup$
      Note that the actual statement in the bumblebee case is "the bumblebee can't fly using aerodynamic lift" -- and in fact, it doesn't. It flies using a different technique involving dynamic stall.
      $endgroup$
      – Mark
      4 hours ago


















    • $begingroup$
      Note that the actual statement in the bumblebee case is "the bumblebee can't fly using aerodynamic lift" -- and in fact, it doesn't. It flies using a different technique involving dynamic stall.
      $endgroup$
      – Mark
      4 hours ago
















    $begingroup$
    Note that the actual statement in the bumblebee case is "the bumblebee can't fly using aerodynamic lift" -- and in fact, it doesn't. It flies using a different technique involving dynamic stall.
    $endgroup$
    – Mark
    4 hours ago




    $begingroup$
    Note that the actual statement in the bumblebee case is "the bumblebee can't fly using aerodynamic lift" -- and in fact, it doesn't. It flies using a different technique involving dynamic stall.
    $endgroup$
    – Mark
    4 hours ago











    4












    $begingroup$

    The Green Flash was
    described for the first time (at least in the Western literature) by Jules Verne,
    a science fiction writer.
    Many scientists did not believe until photographs were taken and published.



    Herbert Wells in 1914 described the use of nuclear energy for both bombs and peaceful applications. (His novel The world Set Free). At approximately the same time many scientists thought this was impossible.
    (Rutherford is on record for saying this publicly, that nuclear energy will be never used).






    share|improve this answer









    $endgroup$









    • 2




      $begingroup$
      HG Wells wrote many science fiction novels. That one happened to reflect something which later turned out to be correct is really just the dice falling right, with a whole bunch of other novels which turned out not to work out. Anyway, Wells was always about the concept, and the society, not the hard science.
      $endgroup$
      – Graham
      8 hours ago
















    4












    $begingroup$

    The Green Flash was
    described for the first time (at least in the Western literature) by Jules Verne,
    a science fiction writer.
    Many scientists did not believe until photographs were taken and published.



    Herbert Wells in 1914 described the use of nuclear energy for both bombs and peaceful applications. (His novel The world Set Free). At approximately the same time many scientists thought this was impossible.
    (Rutherford is on record for saying this publicly, that nuclear energy will be never used).






    share|improve this answer









    $endgroup$









    • 2




      $begingroup$
      HG Wells wrote many science fiction novels. That one happened to reflect something which later turned out to be correct is really just the dice falling right, with a whole bunch of other novels which turned out not to work out. Anyway, Wells was always about the concept, and the society, not the hard science.
      $endgroup$
      – Graham
      8 hours ago














    4












    4








    4





    $begingroup$

    The Green Flash was
    described for the first time (at least in the Western literature) by Jules Verne,
    a science fiction writer.
    Many scientists did not believe until photographs were taken and published.



    Herbert Wells in 1914 described the use of nuclear energy for both bombs and peaceful applications. (His novel The world Set Free). At approximately the same time many scientists thought this was impossible.
    (Rutherford is on record for saying this publicly, that nuclear energy will be never used).






    share|improve this answer









    $endgroup$



    The Green Flash was
    described for the first time (at least in the Western literature) by Jules Verne,
    a science fiction writer.
    Many scientists did not believe until photographs were taken and published.



    Herbert Wells in 1914 described the use of nuclear energy for both bombs and peaceful applications. (His novel The world Set Free). At approximately the same time many scientists thought this was impossible.
    (Rutherford is on record for saying this publicly, that nuclear energy will be never used).







    share|improve this answer












    share|improve this answer



    share|improve this answer










    answered 14 hours ago









    Alexandre EremenkoAlexandre Eremenko

    24.3k13489




    24.3k13489








    • 2




      $begingroup$
      HG Wells wrote many science fiction novels. That one happened to reflect something which later turned out to be correct is really just the dice falling right, with a whole bunch of other novels which turned out not to work out. Anyway, Wells was always about the concept, and the society, not the hard science.
      $endgroup$
      – Graham
      8 hours ago














    • 2




      $begingroup$
      HG Wells wrote many science fiction novels. That one happened to reflect something which later turned out to be correct is really just the dice falling right, with a whole bunch of other novels which turned out not to work out. Anyway, Wells was always about the concept, and the society, not the hard science.
      $endgroup$
      – Graham
      8 hours ago








    2




    2




    $begingroup$
    HG Wells wrote many science fiction novels. That one happened to reflect something which later turned out to be correct is really just the dice falling right, with a whole bunch of other novels which turned out not to work out. Anyway, Wells was always about the concept, and the society, not the hard science.
    $endgroup$
    – Graham
    8 hours ago




    $begingroup$
    HG Wells wrote many science fiction novels. That one happened to reflect something which later turned out to be correct is really just the dice falling right, with a whole bunch of other novels which turned out not to work out. Anyway, Wells was always about the concept, and the society, not the hard science.
    $endgroup$
    – Graham
    8 hours ago











    3












    $begingroup$

    I think a famous example is the Monty Hall problem` https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Hall_problem about switching doors.
    The problem was answered correctly by Marilyn vos Savant, but she got
    baskets of letters from experts that she is wrong.






    share|improve this answer










    New contributor




    Karl is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
    Check out our Code of Conduct.






    $endgroup$













    • $begingroup$
      But the rate of correct answers was far higher among the educated (at least in math and physics) than among the great unwashed masses.
      $endgroup$
      – Carl Witthoft
      10 hours ago






    • 2




      $begingroup$
      @ Carl Witthoft, do you have hard data about this or is it just a guess?
      $endgroup$
      – Karl
      10 hours ago






    • 3




      $begingroup$
      This is not an accurate description of what happened. Marilyn Vos Savant thought she was answering the Monty Hall problem but was actually answering the evil Monty problem, which has a different answer. Lots of people wrote to explain to her that she was wrong and she stubbornly insisted that they were wrong. (In her statement of the problem, Monty offers to let you switch doors after he knows which door you chose with no requirement to do so. For all you know, Monty only extends this offer to people who he knows chose the right door. So switching could guarantee a loss in this variant.)
      $endgroup$
      – David Schwartz
      8 hours ago








    • 1




      $begingroup$
      Also, please note that (1) the problem permeated the mathematics community far ahead of vos Savant's rise to prominence; (2) the large majority of professional mathematicians were right about the problem. "baskets of letters" does not necessarily represent "the professional ... mathematicians" as a whole.
      $endgroup$
      – Prune
      7 hours ago










    • $begingroup$
      Karl, re Carl Witthoft's comment MvS wrote "Of the letters from the general public, 92% are against my answer, and of the letters from universities, 65% are against my answer." @David Schwartz, it's true that the problem has no solution unless you state Monty's general strategy; neither the asker of the question nor vos Savant did that; and from her explanations it's not clear that she understands how critical Monty's motivation is. However, the authors of the letters she quoted don't seem to understand that either, and no one mentioned evil Monty (or any other well-defined Monty).
      $endgroup$
      – benrg
      4 hours ago


















    3












    $begingroup$

    I think a famous example is the Monty Hall problem` https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Hall_problem about switching doors.
    The problem was answered correctly by Marilyn vos Savant, but she got
    baskets of letters from experts that she is wrong.






    share|improve this answer










    New contributor




    Karl is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
    Check out our Code of Conduct.






    $endgroup$













    • $begingroup$
      But the rate of correct answers was far higher among the educated (at least in math and physics) than among the great unwashed masses.
      $endgroup$
      – Carl Witthoft
      10 hours ago






    • 2




      $begingroup$
      @ Carl Witthoft, do you have hard data about this or is it just a guess?
      $endgroup$
      – Karl
      10 hours ago






    • 3




      $begingroup$
      This is not an accurate description of what happened. Marilyn Vos Savant thought she was answering the Monty Hall problem but was actually answering the evil Monty problem, which has a different answer. Lots of people wrote to explain to her that she was wrong and she stubbornly insisted that they were wrong. (In her statement of the problem, Monty offers to let you switch doors after he knows which door you chose with no requirement to do so. For all you know, Monty only extends this offer to people who he knows chose the right door. So switching could guarantee a loss in this variant.)
      $endgroup$
      – David Schwartz
      8 hours ago








    • 1




      $begingroup$
      Also, please note that (1) the problem permeated the mathematics community far ahead of vos Savant's rise to prominence; (2) the large majority of professional mathematicians were right about the problem. "baskets of letters" does not necessarily represent "the professional ... mathematicians" as a whole.
      $endgroup$
      – Prune
      7 hours ago










    • $begingroup$
      Karl, re Carl Witthoft's comment MvS wrote "Of the letters from the general public, 92% are against my answer, and of the letters from universities, 65% are against my answer." @David Schwartz, it's true that the problem has no solution unless you state Monty's general strategy; neither the asker of the question nor vos Savant did that; and from her explanations it's not clear that she understands how critical Monty's motivation is. However, the authors of the letters she quoted don't seem to understand that either, and no one mentioned evil Monty (or any other well-defined Monty).
      $endgroup$
      – benrg
      4 hours ago
















    3












    3








    3





    $begingroup$

    I think a famous example is the Monty Hall problem` https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Hall_problem about switching doors.
    The problem was answered correctly by Marilyn vos Savant, but she got
    baskets of letters from experts that she is wrong.






    share|improve this answer










    New contributor




    Karl is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
    Check out our Code of Conduct.






    $endgroup$



    I think a famous example is the Monty Hall problem` https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Hall_problem about switching doors.
    The problem was answered correctly by Marilyn vos Savant, but she got
    baskets of letters from experts that she is wrong.







    share|improve this answer










    New contributor




    Karl is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
    Check out our Code of Conduct.









    share|improve this answer



    share|improve this answer








    edited 13 hours ago





















    New contributor




    Karl is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
    Check out our Code of Conduct.









    answered 13 hours ago









    KarlKarl

    1392




    1392




    New contributor




    Karl is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
    Check out our Code of Conduct.





    New contributor





    Karl is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
    Check out our Code of Conduct.






    Karl is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
    Check out our Code of Conduct.












    • $begingroup$
      But the rate of correct answers was far higher among the educated (at least in math and physics) than among the great unwashed masses.
      $endgroup$
      – Carl Witthoft
      10 hours ago






    • 2




      $begingroup$
      @ Carl Witthoft, do you have hard data about this or is it just a guess?
      $endgroup$
      – Karl
      10 hours ago






    • 3




      $begingroup$
      This is not an accurate description of what happened. Marilyn Vos Savant thought she was answering the Monty Hall problem but was actually answering the evil Monty problem, which has a different answer. Lots of people wrote to explain to her that she was wrong and she stubbornly insisted that they were wrong. (In her statement of the problem, Monty offers to let you switch doors after he knows which door you chose with no requirement to do so. For all you know, Monty only extends this offer to people who he knows chose the right door. So switching could guarantee a loss in this variant.)
      $endgroup$
      – David Schwartz
      8 hours ago








    • 1




      $begingroup$
      Also, please note that (1) the problem permeated the mathematics community far ahead of vos Savant's rise to prominence; (2) the large majority of professional mathematicians were right about the problem. "baskets of letters" does not necessarily represent "the professional ... mathematicians" as a whole.
      $endgroup$
      – Prune
      7 hours ago










    • $begingroup$
      Karl, re Carl Witthoft's comment MvS wrote "Of the letters from the general public, 92% are against my answer, and of the letters from universities, 65% are against my answer." @David Schwartz, it's true that the problem has no solution unless you state Monty's general strategy; neither the asker of the question nor vos Savant did that; and from her explanations it's not clear that she understands how critical Monty's motivation is. However, the authors of the letters she quoted don't seem to understand that either, and no one mentioned evil Monty (or any other well-defined Monty).
      $endgroup$
      – benrg
      4 hours ago




















    • $begingroup$
      But the rate of correct answers was far higher among the educated (at least in math and physics) than among the great unwashed masses.
      $endgroup$
      – Carl Witthoft
      10 hours ago






    • 2




      $begingroup$
      @ Carl Witthoft, do you have hard data about this or is it just a guess?
      $endgroup$
      – Karl
      10 hours ago






    • 3




      $begingroup$
      This is not an accurate description of what happened. Marilyn Vos Savant thought she was answering the Monty Hall problem but was actually answering the evil Monty problem, which has a different answer. Lots of people wrote to explain to her that she was wrong and she stubbornly insisted that they were wrong. (In her statement of the problem, Monty offers to let you switch doors after he knows which door you chose with no requirement to do so. For all you know, Monty only extends this offer to people who he knows chose the right door. So switching could guarantee a loss in this variant.)
      $endgroup$
      – David Schwartz
      8 hours ago








    • 1




      $begingroup$
      Also, please note that (1) the problem permeated the mathematics community far ahead of vos Savant's rise to prominence; (2) the large majority of professional mathematicians were right about the problem. "baskets of letters" does not necessarily represent "the professional ... mathematicians" as a whole.
      $endgroup$
      – Prune
      7 hours ago










    • $begingroup$
      Karl, re Carl Witthoft's comment MvS wrote "Of the letters from the general public, 92% are against my answer, and of the letters from universities, 65% are against my answer." @David Schwartz, it's true that the problem has no solution unless you state Monty's general strategy; neither the asker of the question nor vos Savant did that; and from her explanations it's not clear that she understands how critical Monty's motivation is. However, the authors of the letters she quoted don't seem to understand that either, and no one mentioned evil Monty (or any other well-defined Monty).
      $endgroup$
      – benrg
      4 hours ago


















    $begingroup$
    But the rate of correct answers was far higher among the educated (at least in math and physics) than among the great unwashed masses.
    $endgroup$
    – Carl Witthoft
    10 hours ago




    $begingroup$
    But the rate of correct answers was far higher among the educated (at least in math and physics) than among the great unwashed masses.
    $endgroup$
    – Carl Witthoft
    10 hours ago




    2




    2




    $begingroup$
    @ Carl Witthoft, do you have hard data about this or is it just a guess?
    $endgroup$
    – Karl
    10 hours ago




    $begingroup$
    @ Carl Witthoft, do you have hard data about this or is it just a guess?
    $endgroup$
    – Karl
    10 hours ago




    3




    3




    $begingroup$
    This is not an accurate description of what happened. Marilyn Vos Savant thought she was answering the Monty Hall problem but was actually answering the evil Monty problem, which has a different answer. Lots of people wrote to explain to her that she was wrong and she stubbornly insisted that they were wrong. (In her statement of the problem, Monty offers to let you switch doors after he knows which door you chose with no requirement to do so. For all you know, Monty only extends this offer to people who he knows chose the right door. So switching could guarantee a loss in this variant.)
    $endgroup$
    – David Schwartz
    8 hours ago






    $begingroup$
    This is not an accurate description of what happened. Marilyn Vos Savant thought she was answering the Monty Hall problem but was actually answering the evil Monty problem, which has a different answer. Lots of people wrote to explain to her that she was wrong and she stubbornly insisted that they were wrong. (In her statement of the problem, Monty offers to let you switch doors after he knows which door you chose with no requirement to do so. For all you know, Monty only extends this offer to people who he knows chose the right door. So switching could guarantee a loss in this variant.)
    $endgroup$
    – David Schwartz
    8 hours ago






    1




    1




    $begingroup$
    Also, please note that (1) the problem permeated the mathematics community far ahead of vos Savant's rise to prominence; (2) the large majority of professional mathematicians were right about the problem. "baskets of letters" does not necessarily represent "the professional ... mathematicians" as a whole.
    $endgroup$
    – Prune
    7 hours ago




    $begingroup$
    Also, please note that (1) the problem permeated the mathematics community far ahead of vos Savant's rise to prominence; (2) the large majority of professional mathematicians were right about the problem. "baskets of letters" does not necessarily represent "the professional ... mathematicians" as a whole.
    $endgroup$
    – Prune
    7 hours ago












    $begingroup$
    Karl, re Carl Witthoft's comment MvS wrote "Of the letters from the general public, 92% are against my answer, and of the letters from universities, 65% are against my answer." @David Schwartz, it's true that the problem has no solution unless you state Monty's general strategy; neither the asker of the question nor vos Savant did that; and from her explanations it's not clear that she understands how critical Monty's motivation is. However, the authors of the letters she quoted don't seem to understand that either, and no one mentioned evil Monty (or any other well-defined Monty).
    $endgroup$
    – benrg
    4 hours ago






    $begingroup$
    Karl, re Carl Witthoft's comment MvS wrote "Of the letters from the general public, 92% are against my answer, and of the letters from universities, 65% are against my answer." @David Schwartz, it's true that the problem has no solution unless you state Monty's general strategy; neither the asker of the question nor vos Savant did that; and from her explanations it's not clear that she understands how critical Monty's motivation is. However, the authors of the letters she quoted don't seem to understand that either, and no one mentioned evil Monty (or any other well-defined Monty).
    $endgroup$
    – benrg
    4 hours ago













    2












    $begingroup$

    Albert Einstein, patent clerk and John Stewart Bell, particle accelerator designer spring to mind as developing important theories while not employed professionally as scientists in the field they were working in. Similarly, many of the enlightenment scientists were gentleman hobbyists who looked down on professional scientists.






    share|improve this answer








    New contributor




    Pete Kirkham is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
    Check out our Code of Conduct.






    $endgroup$









    • 8




      $begingroup$
      Both Einstein and Bell completed their PhDs before or while doing their major work, though. Einstein took a day job at the patent office while searching for a teaching position, and Bell developed his theorem while on leave from CERN.
      $endgroup$
      – Ray
      10 hours ago






    • 6




      $begingroup$
      The other objection is: these two did not have trouble publishing their work. Which shows it was not rejected by all the professionals.
      $endgroup$
      – Gerald Edgar
      8 hours ago
















    2












    $begingroup$

    Albert Einstein, patent clerk and John Stewart Bell, particle accelerator designer spring to mind as developing important theories while not employed professionally as scientists in the field they were working in. Similarly, many of the enlightenment scientists were gentleman hobbyists who looked down on professional scientists.






    share|improve this answer








    New contributor




    Pete Kirkham is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
    Check out our Code of Conduct.






    $endgroup$









    • 8




      $begingroup$
      Both Einstein and Bell completed their PhDs before or while doing their major work, though. Einstein took a day job at the patent office while searching for a teaching position, and Bell developed his theorem while on leave from CERN.
      $endgroup$
      – Ray
      10 hours ago






    • 6




      $begingroup$
      The other objection is: these two did not have trouble publishing their work. Which shows it was not rejected by all the professionals.
      $endgroup$
      – Gerald Edgar
      8 hours ago














    2












    2








    2





    $begingroup$

    Albert Einstein, patent clerk and John Stewart Bell, particle accelerator designer spring to mind as developing important theories while not employed professionally as scientists in the field they were working in. Similarly, many of the enlightenment scientists were gentleman hobbyists who looked down on professional scientists.






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    $endgroup$



    Albert Einstein, patent clerk and John Stewart Bell, particle accelerator designer spring to mind as developing important theories while not employed professionally as scientists in the field they were working in. Similarly, many of the enlightenment scientists were gentleman hobbyists who looked down on professional scientists.







    share|improve this answer








    New contributor




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    answered 12 hours ago









    Pete KirkhamPete Kirkham

    1292




    1292




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    • 8




      $begingroup$
      Both Einstein and Bell completed their PhDs before or while doing their major work, though. Einstein took a day job at the patent office while searching for a teaching position, and Bell developed his theorem while on leave from CERN.
      $endgroup$
      – Ray
      10 hours ago






    • 6




      $begingroup$
      The other objection is: these two did not have trouble publishing their work. Which shows it was not rejected by all the professionals.
      $endgroup$
      – Gerald Edgar
      8 hours ago














    • 8




      $begingroup$
      Both Einstein and Bell completed their PhDs before or while doing their major work, though. Einstein took a day job at the patent office while searching for a teaching position, and Bell developed his theorem while on leave from CERN.
      $endgroup$
      – Ray
      10 hours ago






    • 6




      $begingroup$
      The other objection is: these two did not have trouble publishing their work. Which shows it was not rejected by all the professionals.
      $endgroup$
      – Gerald Edgar
      8 hours ago








    8




    8




    $begingroup$
    Both Einstein and Bell completed their PhDs before or while doing their major work, though. Einstein took a day job at the patent office while searching for a teaching position, and Bell developed his theorem while on leave from CERN.
    $endgroup$
    – Ray
    10 hours ago




    $begingroup$
    Both Einstein and Bell completed their PhDs before or while doing their major work, though. Einstein took a day job at the patent office while searching for a teaching position, and Bell developed his theorem while on leave from CERN.
    $endgroup$
    – Ray
    10 hours ago




    6




    6




    $begingroup$
    The other objection is: these two did not have trouble publishing their work. Which shows it was not rejected by all the professionals.
    $endgroup$
    – Gerald Edgar
    8 hours ago




    $begingroup$
    The other objection is: these two did not have trouble publishing their work. Which shows it was not rejected by all the professionals.
    $endgroup$
    – Gerald Edgar
    8 hours ago











    1












    $begingroup$

    In 1726's Gulliver's Travels, Jonathan Swift mocked the learned scientists of Britain for not having solved the Longitude problem: Figure out a way to keep track of one's east-west location to within a mile after making a round-trip across the Atlantic. This was one of the most important scientific challenges of the 18th century. The British Parliament had an outstanding offer of £ 20,000 for a solution, and had trusted the astronomers at the Royal Observatory with awarding the prize. The prize was worth several times the modern-day Nobel Prize, and was famous at the time.



    In 1731, a watchmaker named John Harrison solved the problem. The astronomers at the Observatory refused to believe him. Over the next 40 years, Harrison steadily refined his solution, but the astronomers never did award him the prize. In 1741, hundreds of British sailors died because Harrison's solution was not released to the public. It took an act of Parliament in 1773 before Harrison was finally given his prize, and east-west navigation could be made safe.






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    $endgroup$


















      1












      $begingroup$

      In 1726's Gulliver's Travels, Jonathan Swift mocked the learned scientists of Britain for not having solved the Longitude problem: Figure out a way to keep track of one's east-west location to within a mile after making a round-trip across the Atlantic. This was one of the most important scientific challenges of the 18th century. The British Parliament had an outstanding offer of £ 20,000 for a solution, and had trusted the astronomers at the Royal Observatory with awarding the prize. The prize was worth several times the modern-day Nobel Prize, and was famous at the time.



      In 1731, a watchmaker named John Harrison solved the problem. The astronomers at the Observatory refused to believe him. Over the next 40 years, Harrison steadily refined his solution, but the astronomers never did award him the prize. In 1741, hundreds of British sailors died because Harrison's solution was not released to the public. It took an act of Parliament in 1773 before Harrison was finally given his prize, and east-west navigation could be made safe.






      share|improve this answer










      New contributor




      Jasper is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.






      $endgroup$
















        1












        1








        1





        $begingroup$

        In 1726's Gulliver's Travels, Jonathan Swift mocked the learned scientists of Britain for not having solved the Longitude problem: Figure out a way to keep track of one's east-west location to within a mile after making a round-trip across the Atlantic. This was one of the most important scientific challenges of the 18th century. The British Parliament had an outstanding offer of £ 20,000 for a solution, and had trusted the astronomers at the Royal Observatory with awarding the prize. The prize was worth several times the modern-day Nobel Prize, and was famous at the time.



        In 1731, a watchmaker named John Harrison solved the problem. The astronomers at the Observatory refused to believe him. Over the next 40 years, Harrison steadily refined his solution, but the astronomers never did award him the prize. In 1741, hundreds of British sailors died because Harrison's solution was not released to the public. It took an act of Parliament in 1773 before Harrison was finally given his prize, and east-west navigation could be made safe.






        share|improve this answer










        New contributor




        Jasper is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
        Check out our Code of Conduct.






        $endgroup$



        In 1726's Gulliver's Travels, Jonathan Swift mocked the learned scientists of Britain for not having solved the Longitude problem: Figure out a way to keep track of one's east-west location to within a mile after making a round-trip across the Atlantic. This was one of the most important scientific challenges of the 18th century. The British Parliament had an outstanding offer of £ 20,000 for a solution, and had trusted the astronomers at the Royal Observatory with awarding the prize. The prize was worth several times the modern-day Nobel Prize, and was famous at the time.



        In 1731, a watchmaker named John Harrison solved the problem. The astronomers at the Observatory refused to believe him. Over the next 40 years, Harrison steadily refined his solution, but the astronomers never did award him the prize. In 1741, hundreds of British sailors died because Harrison's solution was not released to the public. It took an act of Parliament in 1773 before Harrison was finally given his prize, and east-west navigation could be made safe.







        share|improve this answer










        New contributor




        Jasper is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer








        edited 1 hour ago





















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        answered 2 hours ago









        JasperJasper

        1112




        1112




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        New contributor





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            -1












            $begingroup$

            Look at the writings of William Gibson. He invented terms and described conditions and approaches relating to the advancement of computer technology, and the way it impacts our culture. Some were original, some were pioneering but not strictly speaking his own.






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            $endgroup$









            • 2




              $begingroup$
              But were professional computer scientists wrong about these? (That's the other part of the question.)
              $endgroup$
              – Gerald Edgar
              6 hours ago
















            -1












            $begingroup$

            Look at the writings of William Gibson. He invented terms and described conditions and approaches relating to the advancement of computer technology, and the way it impacts our culture. Some were original, some were pioneering but not strictly speaking his own.






            share|improve this answer








            New contributor




            Jimbo is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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            $endgroup$









            • 2




              $begingroup$
              But were professional computer scientists wrong about these? (That's the other part of the question.)
              $endgroup$
              – Gerald Edgar
              6 hours ago














            -1












            -1








            -1





            $begingroup$

            Look at the writings of William Gibson. He invented terms and described conditions and approaches relating to the advancement of computer technology, and the way it impacts our culture. Some were original, some were pioneering but not strictly speaking his own.






            share|improve this answer








            New contributor




            Jimbo is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
            Check out our Code of Conduct.






            $endgroup$



            Look at the writings of William Gibson. He invented terms and described conditions and approaches relating to the advancement of computer technology, and the way it impacts our culture. Some were original, some were pioneering but not strictly speaking his own.







            share|improve this answer








            New contributor




            Jimbo is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer






            New contributor




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            answered 7 hours ago









            JimboJimbo

            1




            1




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            New contributor





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            • 2




              $begingroup$
              But were professional computer scientists wrong about these? (That's the other part of the question.)
              $endgroup$
              – Gerald Edgar
              6 hours ago














            • 2




              $begingroup$
              But were professional computer scientists wrong about these? (That's the other part of the question.)
              $endgroup$
              – Gerald Edgar
              6 hours ago








            2




            2




            $begingroup$
            But were professional computer scientists wrong about these? (That's the other part of the question.)
            $endgroup$
            – Gerald Edgar
            6 hours ago




            $begingroup$
            But were professional computer scientists wrong about these? (That's the other part of the question.)
            $endgroup$
            – Gerald Edgar
            6 hours ago










            Seth Rich is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.










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