Since the beginning of time, human communities have told each other stories to make sense of the world, whether they take the form of founding myths, legends about fantastic creatures, or historical reenactments.
What if scientific work were simply a particularly demanding form of storytelling?
This lecture explores the nature of the narrative that underpins all knowledge, from imagination to scientific precision. We will journey from mythical creatures like unicorns—which may have existed—to the uncertainties of reconstructing extinct species such as the dodo or dinosaurs. We will also take a critical look at Jurassic Park and see how science faces challenges when it comes to reconstructing the past.
How does the scientific method differ from other forms of storytelling? How does it strive to be as accurate as possible? Come discover how researchers piece together fragments of the past and how we tirelessly continue to tell ourselves stories to understand, transmit knowledge, and inspire dreams.
This lecture explores the nature of the narrative that underpins all knowledge, from imagination to scientific precision. We will journey from mythical creatures like unicorns—which may have existed—to the uncertainties of reconstructing extinct species such as the dodo or dinosaurs. We will also take a critical look at Jurassic Park and see how science faces challenges when it comes to reconstructing the past.
How does the scientific method differ from other forms of storytelling? How does it strive to be as accurate as possible? Come discover how researchers piece together fragments of the past and how we tirelessly continue to tell ourselves stories to understand, transmit knowledge, and inspire dreams.
