The more extraordinary or shocking the event—like witnessing a violent crime or greeting a space alien—the less likely the various accounts of the experience will match. That’s why the methods and tools of science were invented in the first place—to remove human sensory frailties from the acquisition of data. Eyewitness testimony may sit high in the court of law, but it sits low in the court of science. If you show up at a conference and the best evidence for your research is that you saw it happen, we will show you the exit door.
