"He was at times, however, less adept when communicating with writers, as the science historian Robert Crease found out when he interviewed the Nobel laureate in the mid-1980s. Feynman, apparently offended by Crease's "dumb" questioning, stormed out of the room and down the hallways of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, shouting "you're trying to make something difficult and complicated out of something that's simple and beautiful!""
"However, Crease's experience illustrates how the priorities of a science writer, who is looking to tell an engaging story, can clash with a scientist's allegiance to undiluted truth. There is also a knowledge gap to navigate - especially if the interviewer does not have a background in science. This requires the researcher to explain their work in terms that are accurate but comprehensible, and to have patience if they're not immediately understood."
Richard Feynman once stormed out of an interview after being offended by what he called "dumb" questioning, shouting that the interviewer was complicating something simple and beautiful. Most interactions between scientists and writers are generally convivial, but differences in priorities can cause friction. Science writers aim to craft engaging narratives while scientists prioritize undiluted accuracy. A knowledge gap often exists when interviewers lack scientific training, requiring researchers to translate their work into accurate, comprehensible terms and to answer follow-up questions with patience. Clear explanation and willingness to bridge gaps make researchers more valuable interviewees.
Read at Nature
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