RSSGarage Science is an idea.
Imagine, 10 years from now, a “Science Garage” in every major city. A large industrial space with second-hand, recycled and custom built scientific equipment. A place where everyone can come and do science.
Doing science is fun. Running experiments, logging data, fixing machines, growing plants, programming models, tinkering, pondering, simply put – creating new knowledge. Being a Garage Scientist for a couple of hours every week lets you take part in the fun without making science your life. Nowadays, you can either do science as a career or not at all. Garage Science will change that.
Published experimental papers in scientific journals push the boundaries of knowledge. They often take the form:
Everyone thought that X is true, but our cool experiment suggests this may not be true. Perhaps Y is true. We need to do A, B and C to find out more.
The problem is that there are never enough resources (both time and money) to do B and C at the university lab. But we can do it in the Garage, without any time constraints, and make a worthwhile contribution.
Creating new knowledge is not easy. It takes training, resources, planning, time and discipline. It requires a dedicated community. Garage Science sees these demands as challenges, not problems. Technology and organizational structures exist for meeting many of these challenges – this will be the focus of later posts. Whatever can’t be done with today’s technology we will create ourselves.
Excited? Get involved.
Garage Science is an idea. Lets make it a movement.