History Main / BreakTheScientist

* [[TabletopGame/HunterTheVigil Null Mysteriis]] is an academic organization devoted to [[SufficientlyAnalyzedMagic the scientific study of supernatural creatures and phenomena]], believing that things like [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampires]], [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent werewolves]], and [[FunctionalMagic mages]] all have rational, scientific explanations. Problem is, they live in the [[TabletopGame/NewWorldOfDarkness Worl of Darkness]]. [[DependingOnTheWriter Depending on the GM]], either they're correct, and [[ScienceMarchesOn science simply hasn't advanced to the point where study of the supernatural is possible]], or [[DoingInTheScientist they have it all wrong]], and the supernatural completely defies all attempts at explanation. Understandably, this tends to drive more than a few Null M. scientists insane.

* The short story "Flashes" by [[RobertJSawyer Robert J. Sawyer]] is about most of the scientific community of Earth being broken ''en masse'' by a broadcast of the Encyclopedia Galactica that claims that aliens have disproved many of Earth's established scientific theories. [[FridgeLogic Why the scientists are not trying to repeat the aliens' experiments is not discussed in the story.]]

* In general the problem with this concept is that in reality a theory can still be partially accurate even is elements of it are shown incorrect. The reason for this is the way in which scientific theories are developed. A scientific theory cannot be proven, it is merely accepted once it is failed to be disproved. What this means is that a well accepted former theory is never completely discredited as we see with Newtonian physics versus relativistic physics. While Newtonian physics are inaccurate at relativistic speeds(those approaching the speed of light), it is still accurate enough within normal speeds and masses that make up most interactions on Earth and is still used in most engineering on Earth.

** Issac Asimov wrote an essay on this issue once titled The Relativity of Wrong using the analogy of a flat earth vs a perfectly spherical earth vs an oblate spheroid which is that due to its spin the Earth is actually slightly thicker at the equator. While the earth is neither flat nor perfectly spherical, being spherical is closer than being flat one.

* JulesVerne's ''JourneyToTheCenterOfTheEarth'' pits [[BunnyEarsLawyer Bunny Ears Geologist]] Otto Lidenbrock (who clings to a hollow earth theory) against our narrator, Otto's nephew Axel (who knows that [[ScienceMarchesOn science has marched on]] and that the Earth is heated from the inside, and thus that the journey makes absolutely no sense and will inevitably end in heat suffocation). HilarityEnsues when Axel is forced to change his mind.

'' All those years of careful study and research suddenly proven wrong...'' ''[[BigNo NOOOOOOOOOO!]]''

[[/folder]]

* Reed Richards in ''FantasticFour'' does this all of the time.

So, we all know that [[TheFarSide every time you show dinosaurs and cave-people together]] in the same era [[SomewhereAPalaeontologistIsCrying a palaeontologist cries]]. Probably not literally, of course. You'd have to be fairly unstable to be brought to tears just because some TV show DidNotDoTheResearch. After all, [[MST3KMantra it's just a show]]...

[[folder: Comics ]]

* This angers Homer of all people in {{The Simpsons}} comic edition where Professor Fink uses his latest device to grant [[FlowersForAlgernonSyndrome Homer increased intelligence]]. He rails on the impossibility of dinosaurs co-existing and fighting humans while watching a {{B-Movie}}, much to Bart's surprise.

[[folder: Film ]]

** In the [[AnimeAddventure Anime Addventure]] thread "Switching Places/Eva'', she has a similar reaction to Ranma. And to his habit (which most of the rest of the cast has picked up) of calling the Angels "kaiju."
* Harry goes through this a couple times in HarryPotterAndTheMethodsOfRationality, but mostly when [[ItMakesSenseInContext Professor McGonagall turns into a cat.]]

[[folder: Literature ]]

* In TheLastContinent, Ponder Stibbons has some difficulty adjusting to the idea that the deserted island he and the rest of Unseen University's senior faculty are trapped on is actively supplying them with the means to live.

[[folder: Webcomics ]]

* An old LooneyTunes cartoon had a professor giving a lecture where he refuted the existence of UFO's and "Little green men". Just as he's laughing at the very idea, a flying saucer with a baby green Martian flies in and hovers before his face for a few moments, causing the laughter to turn into tears.

* Ellie and Alan's miniature freakout the first time they see a dinosaur in ''JurassicPark''.

* One of the planet travel guides in {{Tyrian}} reads "Many a scientist comes here after retirement to watch all their fundamental mathematical theorems fall apart as they watch the landmasses floating in apparent defiance to their life's work."

* ''ElGoonishShive'' has a professor who [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2010-10-04 starts crying]] whenever the laws of physics are [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2010-10-11 violated]] hard enough. Whether he's actually present or not!

** In the [[AnimeAddventure Anime Addventure]] thread "Switching Places/Eva'', she has a similar reaction to Ranma. And to his habit (which most often rest of the cast has picked up) of calling the Angels "kaiju."

** In the [[AnimeAddventure]] thread "Switching Places/Eva'', she has a similar reaction to Ranma. And to his habit (which most often rest of the cast has picked up) of calling the Angels "kaiju."

* The Infinite Summation Honeybee Professor in ''ProblemSleuth'' gets upset whenever the characters abuse the properties of [[PortalPicture windows]] in order to generate matter or discharge energy.

** Which is itself an incredible source of FridgeLogic, given he can stretch and bend like he's made out of [[PrecisionFStrike goddamn]] [[BuffySpeak stretchy-goo]].

* ''ElGoonishShive'' (TropeNamer) has a professor who [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2010-10-04 starts crying]] whenever the laws of physics are [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2010-10-11 violated]] hard enough. Whether he's actually present or not!
** Tweed suit... floppy hair... ''bow-tie''... that's [[Series/DoctorWho the Doctor]]!
*** Nah, not the Doctor himself, but a ShoutOut to him.

[[quoteright:263:[[ElGoonishShive http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/20101004_qRwR_1657.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:263:Every time you invoke AWizardDidIt, [[SomewhereThisIndexIsCrying God makes a physicist cry.]]]]