Lab assistants do what they’re told. Scientists figure out what to do next. It’s not a surprise when a scientist is surprised. That’s what happens when she is doing her job properly. To explore, to follow hunches, to see the landscape and plot a new course. Setting yourself up to be surprised is a conscious choice. Scientists never believe that it’s all figured out, totally settled. They understand that there’s always another argument or mystery around the corner, which means that the map is never perfected.
