The Role Of Beer In Science

Apparently, geologists believe that beer is essential to their science. So much so that, unlike other disciplines, they serve great quantities at their professional conventions and meetings.

“Science doesn’t work when people keep secrets and don’t share their data,” said Daniel Jaffe of the University of Washington. ”And what could be better [than beer] to help with the free flow of information?”

Perhaps the global warming guys could learn a thing or two from the geologists.

From Wired Science:

Rick Saltus of the U.S. Geological Survey explained that because geologists often don’t have enough data to say definitively what went on millions of years ago, creativity is needed to fill in the gaps.

“You have to think outside the box, you’ve got to release your inhibitions, and beer is one way to do that,” Saltus said. ”Anything that helps you get to that epiphany, that realization of what’s there in the rocks and not easy to see but there to spin a story from.”