Before the internet (aka easy answers) was widely available, I was a budding middle school scientist doing my best to master the scientific method. And for the seventh grade science fair, I opted to test whether hot or cold water froze faster. This seemed like a highly predictable and easily testable experiment, not to mention one that I could do right in my kitchen. It should have been a slam dunk.
Imagine my surprise when, despite following good experimental processes, my results showed that the hot water froze faster. I was faced with a tough choice. Create a beautiful, but obviously incorrect, trifold presentation board with my results, repeat the experiment (a high cost when it involves a 7th grader’s free time), or lie.
I opted to trust my results. I’d run a good experiment, had multiple pieces of data, and was ready to put a wrap on this science fair. I sheepishly presented my results, was told by the judges that I was wrong, and salvaged a B due to quality of process.
Fast forward 20 years. I’m doing what they always advised me not to do - standing in a kitchen, watching a pot of water waiting for it to boil. And I suddenly wonder if I could have shortened the time for the water to boil by changing the starting temperature. So I did what any person living in our time does - I googled it. Imagine my surprise when the only results that came up were about how hot water can sometimes freeze faster than cold water, especially when put in a freezer.
Here I was, thinking I was a scientific fraud for most of my adult life, suddenly learning that I may have actually been right. Boy was I excited.
So what did I learn from this experience:
- Just because it defies logic does not mean it’s wrong. In fact, if you logically land on a counterintuitive result, you should pay attention to it even more. Share it, discuss it, and use it to push people’s thinking. I’d also recommend Googling it...
- Trust yourself. You’re smart gosh darn it.
- Trust the process. I saw a fitness coach recently post on social media about his doubt in his ability to succeed at an upcoming competition, but that he was turning his faith over to the process. When it comes to science and experimentation, there’s a reason there’s a process. It works. So don’t short change it, dammit.