Stock photos of any job are usually delightful cringey. Sure, sometimes they sort of get the essence of a job, but a lot of the time the interpretation is downright cartoonish. One glance and it becomes abundantly clear that for some careers, we have no freakinâ clue what it is that people do.
Dr. Kit Chapman, an award-winning science journalist and academic at Falmouth University in the U.K., recently held an impromptu contest on Twitter where viewers could vote on which photos were the best of the worst when it came to jobs in scientific fields.
According to Chapmanâs entries, a day in the life of a scientist includes poking syringes into chickens, wearing a lab coat (unless youâre a âsexyâ scientist, then you wear lingerie) and holding vials of colored liquid. Lots and lots of vials.
Of course, where each image is 100% inaccurate, they are 100% giggle inducing. Take a look below at some of the contenders.
Chapmanâs unofficial photo competition received nearly 500,000 votes cast throughout four rounds. The grand prize winner was a photo of a female scientist holding a soldering iron (very much not in the right way) as she is âworkingâ on some kind of electrical board.
Itâs titled, âHold My Soldering Iron.â
Time to vote for the worst science stock photos ever!
1. Hold My Soldering Iron. pic.twitter.com/fc76jz8Bs4
â Dr Kit Chapman (@ChemistryKit) October 12, 2022
âI mean thereâs the obvious thing that she’ll burn her hand, but nobody ever talks about how she’s âsolderingâ the wrong side of the board,” one person quipped.
Of course, âTalk to Us, Dr. Chickenâ was also popular.
But not as popular as âSyringe Chicken,â where, for some reason, a scientist covered in a mask and safety goggles inspects a raw, syringe-filled chicken with his teeny tiny magnifying glass. For science!
Ever wonder where space is? Donât worry, leave it to the professionals to point the way.
Speaking of professionals, everyone dresses for research this way, right?
People were quick to chime in with their own contributions, including:
âWoman Brain Surgeonâ
And some kind of ⦠corn scientist? From the future?
I think you’re missing the best of them all pic.twitter.com/MBgEO4fByk
â autoproclamada generala da URSAL (@generaladaursal) October 12, 2022
Why does this seem like it belongs in an Annie Lennox music video?
As well as a group of scientists that belong in a Marvel movie for their ability to manipulate atoms.
Do not forget manipulating atoms by handhttps://t.co/FTRzyUJp7m
â Katie ðBooð»-mah (@nuclearkatie) October 12, 2022
While these are certainly not an accurate depiction of the vast and wondrous world of scientific research, it did cause many a scientist to share a giggle. So no harm, no foul. Not even to chickens.
This article originally appeared on 10.27.22
