The Origin of “The Only Difference Between Screwing Around and Science Is Writing It Down”
I'm pleased to give credit for this popular phrase from MythBusters to ballistics expert Alex Jason.
For more Tested.com content become a premium member, subscribe to our YouTube channel and check out our weekly podcast with Adam Savage!
Since I get asked this question a lot, I thought I’d talk about where the “remember kids, the only difference between screwing around and science is writing it down” expression came from.
Its origin derives from the 2012 MythBusters episode, Bouncing Bullet. The myth, from a scene in Burn Notice, was whether bullets could skip off the pavement and into a car. We had a devil of a time doing such a thing safely, but with the help of our frequent contributor, ballistics expert Alex Jason, we succeeded.
The shoot was a tough one, but once we had all of our data, the result was clear. Alex turned to me and said the quote in question. The SECOND he said it, I told him that I was going to say it on camera, and that it would be a big hit of a phrase. He said that was fine with him, so I used it later in the Titanic Survival episode.
Alex thinks it’s hilarious that it’s gone so viral. I’m pleased to give him credit.
19 thoughts on “The Origin of “The Only Difference Between Screwing Around and Science Is Writing It Down””
Leave a Reply
Should’ve Sent a Poet – This is Only a Test 621 – …
We're back from New York Comic Con to talk about the cosplay we saw there, the Ghostbusters: Afterlife panel, and testing the iPhone's cinematic mode on the show floor. Plus, Kishore's close encounter with the earthquake in Hawaii, Shatner's spaceflight, and a deluge of VR and AR news!
Show And Tell
Adam Savage Incognito at New York Comic Con 2021!
Adam suits up with his completed Ghostbusters uniform to wal…
Show And Tell
Amazing Princess Bubblegum and Marceline Cosplay!
We couldn't visit New York Comic Con without checking in on …
Making
Myths Adam Regrets Tackling, and Much Much More
In this live stream -- sponsored by Blundstone USA -- Adam t…
Premium
New York Comic Con 2021 Show Floor and Cosplay Tou…
Here's what it was like to walk about this year's New York C…
Show And Tell
Smithsonian Welcomes The Expanse
Adam Savage is not the ONLY huge fan of Amazon's series The …
Windows 11 – This is Only a Test 620 – 10/7/21
We're finally all back together this week to discuss the launch of Windows 11, the recent social media outage, and William Shatner's upcoming trip to space! Plus, the problem with Seinfeld on Netflix and what's the deal with the movie being filmed on the International Space Station. Who's going to be at New York Comic Con this weekend?
One Day Builds
Adam’s One Day Builds: Ghostbusters Proton Pack!
In anticipation of Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Adam makes a rep…
Culture
Ghostbusters: Afterlife Proton Pack Prop Photos
Adam's reference photos of the hero Phoebe Proton Pack from …
I was also always a fan of this effective precursor, from the Exploding Lighters myth (paraphrased a bit):
So many great one-liners from Mythbusters.
Absolutely !
I’m currently wearing my “I reject your reality and substitute my own!” t-shirt.
Funny, I’m wearing my “Failure is always an option!” t-shirt! Nice fashion choice!
So many… “Here comes chaos!” “Well theres your problem!” “When in doubt C4!”
Mythbusters is filled with quotes I use all the time, from “Well there’s your problem” to “I reject your reality and substitute my own.” But this quote is on my wall to serve as a reminder to document my calculations.
“If it’s not documented it didn’t happen” is our catch phrase at work
My favourite is (paraphrased):
“The difference between us and amateurs is that we call the fire department before the experiment!”
I agree that taking notes is helpful in learning. For example, when I write reviews for a BestWritersOnline website, I also take a lot of notes. It helps me to focus on the most important things and not miss any details. This is probably why my reviews are so informative.