Over the weekend, the hashtag #IAmAScientistBecause started trending on Twitter, filled with revelations from real-life scientists about why they do what they do. And it's probably our favourite Twitter trend since #YesAllWomen - mostly because it highlights the frequently overlooked humans behind the endeavours of science.
Scrolling through the tweets, it's obvious that there's more to being a researcher than being logical, inquisitive and good at what you do - most do science because they simply can't not do it.
Over on Storify, Michael Halpern has put together a great list of some of his favourite Tweets on the hashtag, and we decided to put together our own below. Read and get inspired.
#IAmAScientistBecause there are moments when I learn something in the lab and think, I'm the only human that knows this right now
— DrWorms (@DrWorms) April 5, 2015
#IAmAScientistBecause this is my office pic.twitter.com/PokT0bX3dH
— Dr. David Shiffman 🦈 (@WhySharksMatter) April 6, 2015
#IAmAScientistBecause "...No one ever told me I couldn’t be! #womeninscience" -Fisheries Project Manager, Jen Wetz pic.twitter.com/ceqjkoAY6s
— Sportfish Center (@SportfishCenter) April 6, 2015
What do you say after #IAmAScientistBecause . Share your passion - http://t.co/doJQPdq8B5 pic.twitter.com/VU4Vwtov9V
— Argonne National Lab (@argonne) April 7, 2015
#IAmAScientistBecause nature was my play laboratory.
— Dra. Mónica Feliú Mójer (@moefeliu) April 6, 2015
#IAmAScientistBecause Science turns "I don't know" into "I don't know... yet" and you won't find anything more empowering than that.
— Chad Orzel (@orzelc) April 5, 2015