Time for a pearoast: Scientists are mature, thoughtful people, right?
...no, they're really not.

I've spent most of my PhD working with a post-doc who isn't technically my supervisor - more of a mentor - on upgrading the instrument which I'll be using.

Last year, this involved replacing the thermistors - small temperature probes, which had to be inserted into the appropriate holes in the black-bodies, with the aid of a substance known as Electrolube.

The spectacle of a PhD student and a 30-something post-doc bursting into fits of childish laughter provides a strong correlation in favour of us never growing up.

I suppose a length joke would be appropriate to this qotw...
(LongJohnBaldry, Thu 17 Sep 2009, 16:51, 2 replies)

Ah, PhD science...
I got told to use 'jack-off' screws by an older technician once to separate two blocks of metal I'd glued together. It was difficult to keep a straight face with a post-doc mentor of mine crying silently with laughter in the background.
(Dr_Faustus filius of a femina canis, Thu 17 Sep 2009, 17:25, closed)

Laser stuff is full of these
Every day I get stimulated emission by taking a rod and pumping it hard.
(Concrete Cow, Fri 18 Sep 2009, 11:53, closed)