Scientists and fieldworkers have recently started using the brand new Twitter hashtag #fieldworkfail to tell often hilarious stories and events that happen when they are doing research out in the field. The following are a selection of some of the best “you had one job” experiences out there.
Often really funny, the stories include, for example, the scientist who accidentally glued herself to a crocodile while attaching a radio transmitter. Even worse, the croc lost the transmitter within 24 hours and it was supposed to be on him for a month.
This is definitely a number one contender for #fieldworkfail and has been mentioned and retweeted a lot.
Accidentally glued myself to a crocodile while attaching a radio transmitter. #fieldworkfail
— Agata Staniewicz (@AgataStaniewicz) July 30, 2015
I should add that the croc lost the transmitter within 24h. Was supposed to stay on for a month. #fieldworkfail https://t.co/ICKSFUFEgd — Agata Staniewicz (@AgataStaniewicz) August 2, 2015
It seems Agata Staniewicz has her fair share of #fieldworkfail experiences too including, but not limited to, the problem she had with a boat sinking and what happened when she climbed into a tree.
Climbed a tree to get out of a sinking boat, got peed on by angry macaques sleeping in that tree. #fieldworkfail
— Agata Staniewicz (@AgataStaniewicz) July 30, 2015
Then there’s the story of the drugged zebra in Namibia who ended up getting stuck in the fork of a tree. Poor zebra!
When your drugged zebra finds the ONE tree on the Namibian plains, which also has a neck-height fork #fieldworkfail pic.twitter.com/2iUx2uxGNB
— Carrie Cizauskas (@CarrieCizauskas) August 3, 2015
As for the manta ray who got tagged not once, but twice, with a $1,000 satellite tag, that turned out to be an expensive #fieldworkfail for Dr. Dove.
Skillfully applied thousand dollar satellite tag to manta ray. The same manta ray I tagged yesterday #fieldworkfail pic.twitter.com/xHR1agskar
— Dr. Alistair Dove (@AlistairDove) July 31, 2015
Kathy Pike apparently enjoyed some cider before starting work collecting pear tree samples. She got drunkenly and pleasantly lost.
Accepted farmer’s offer of cider before collecting pear tree samples. Got lost in orchard. Sat and giggled for an hour. #fieldworkfail
— Kathy Pike (@KathyRPike) July 31, 2015
Then there was the boating instructor who told his students to throw their anchors overboard. The only problem was three of the students forgot to attach the anchors to the boat in the first place.
Out on lake with students in rowing boats. Tell them to throw anchors overboard. 3 students forget to attach anchors to boat #fieldworkfail
— Chris Hassall (@katatrepsis) July 31, 2015
This one about a dead jackal is pretty disgusting. One just has to hope that Sarah Durant is OK.
That sinking feeling when you realise you have inadvertently exchanged saliva with a dead jackal #fieldworkfail
— Sarah Durant (@SarahMDurant) July 31, 2015
That one did get some great responses, however.
@SarahMDurant @AnneWHilborn If it makes you feel any better, I’m guessing it was still more pleasant than my last date’s kiss. #DatingFail
— Order Rodentia (@OrderRodentia) August 1, 2015
For more ongoing #fieldworkfail debacles, visit Twitter , but on that subject, the Inquisitr recently reported on yet another viral hashtag . #DescribeYourSexLifeWithAMeal caused an equal amount of hilarity and could probably have put people off sex (or food for that matter) for life.
[Image: Zebra photo from Twitter]
