Scientists have very cool jobs. They get to go to remote corners of the globe and observe firsthand things that most people will never see in their lifetimes. Some of them even get to see the Earth from outer space.
But even accomplished, well-traveled scientists have bucket lists—things they want to see and do before their time on Earth runs out. Recently, they began tweeting about them with the hashtag #scibucketlist.
Researcher and science communicator Bethany Brookshire, a.k.a. @SciCurious, got things rolling:
https://twitter.com/scicurious/status/675017907894636545
Some people just wanted to hang out with their science idols
https://twitter.com/CathRn111/status/675391829546766336
#scibucketlist Meet Stephen Hawking.
— Dr. Phil Metzger (@DrPhiltill) December 11, 2015
Others wanted to see something or experience beautiful
My #scibucketlist:
— Nicholas Hunt-Walker🐀 (@nhuntwalker) December 11, 2015
Build and run a Tesla coil
Both aurorae
Meteor shower
Southern Hemisphere sky
Learn anatomy & physiology
Small explosive
Go to space. Meet penguins in Antarctica. Total solar eclipse (2017!). Witness a worldwide reduction in light pollution. #scibucketlist
— Meredith Rawls (@merrdiff) December 10, 2015
https://twitter.com/DrMRFrancis/status/675020505821413376
Some were feeling humorous
https://twitter.com/GFsConvertible/status/675386653423243264
On my #scibucketlist:
— President E. coli🔬 (@real_e_coli) December 10, 2015
Divide
Divide again
Divide again
Divide again
Divide again
Divide again
Divide again
Divide again
Divide again
Others wanted to inspire better science
#scibucketlist see my trainees make amazing discoveries; change the culture of science to be cooperative and less neophobic; inspire risk
— Marina Picciotto (@MarinaP63) December 10, 2015
#scibucketlist Inspire diverse young women to pursue science, and then for them to discover a fulfilling career
— Marisa Macias (@MarisaEMacias) December 10, 2015
But one person in particular was just totally outlandish
Get my PhD already #scibucketlist
— PsycNotes (@psycnotes) December 11, 2015
Illustration by Max Fleishman