Neutrinos Don’t Go Through You, Do They?

The following conversation happened late at night at a noisy house party, so it’s not word-for-word verbatim. It’s abridged, but close enough to the main talking points to get the gist. 

Since a lot of us are college-aged, we’re discussing our majors when making small talk and mingling. I’m talking to the host of the party, who seems a little obnoxious, but I want to be nice because he’s a friend of a friend, and I was raised to be polite to the host.

Party Goer: “So what’s your major?”

Me: “Astronomy, and you?”

Party Goer: *Ignoring my return question.* “Ugh, the sciences. You obviously don’t love money.”

Me: “I… don’t? But I don’t see what that has to do with anything.”

Party Goer: “You guys just, what, look at the stars all day?”

Yes, he said, look at the stars… ALL DAY.

Me: “Well, actually, part of my work is contributing towards instruments that will go on to future telescopes, such as the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which will hunt for dark energy. It’s very exciting.”

Party Goer: “Dark energy this, dark matter that. Just more things you don’t know about. It’s obvious science and scientists are dumb because every time you waste taxpayer dollars on bigger telescopes, they see all these new things, and they have to change their opinions and theories. They’re always wrong about stuff.”

Me: “You realize you just crudely described the scientific method.”

Party Goer: “Yeah, which is why it sucks! Any smart person gets it right the first time and stays the course no matter what.”

Me: *Changing subjects.* “So… what’s your major?”

Party Goer: “Politics.”