"The Twists and Turns of a PhD Student: 'Tragicomedic' in Disclosing Experiments"
When conducting experimental research, doctoral students often encounter external factors beyond their control, which sometimes lead to experimental failure and even serious consequences of delaying graduation. Today, let's review some real cases of "experimental accidents", hoping that these stories can give you some warnings.
The fruits of crops were stolen
In 2018, Hunan Agricultural University's internship base was invaded by local residents, who stole 800 acres of crops such as corn, rice, cotton and peanuts, including a new variety of corn. Once these new varieties spread, the losses could run into millions of dollars.
Experimental rape flowers are picked by tourists
A master's student cultivated rape flowers in a laboratory at Hunan Agricultural University, but the flowers were picked by tourists, leading to the failure of the experiment.
Experimental saplings are targeted
At Nanjing Forestry University, a PhD student cultivated experimental saplings for 4 years, but just when they were transplanted from the lab to the school flower bed, the saplings attracted thieves. Although the student issued a search announcement, no one returned it, forcing him to change the direction of his thesis research.
Grape varieties were stolen
After ten years of research, the Institute of Forestry and Pomology of the Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences invested 400,000 yuan to cultivate a new grape variety, but it was stolen by four migrant workers. There are only more than 100 of these new grape varieties, with a yield of 47 pounds.
Chickens were stolen
In 2017, asbestos grass chickens from Sichuan Agricultural University were stolen, resulting in losses.
The rain gauge was stolen
Meteorology students were conducting a rain harvesting experiment when a mentor's rain gauge was stolen by a nearby farmer.
Hybrid rice test fields are contaminated
In 2009, a runaway car broke into the hybrid rice test field of the Institute of Desertification Control of the Ningxia Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, causing damage to the test field and oil contamination of the cultivation layer, making it impossible to use for normal tests for the next five years.
An accident with unearthed artifacts
A doctoral student studying the social structure of the Han Dynasty discovered an excavated artifact, but the discovery of this artifact directly led to the failure of his thesis.
Test fry caught on fire
A fire broke out in the Peking University Fish House, destroying all the fry that had been cultivated for many years.
Petri dishes are brushed off
A petri dish that a biology senior had worked hard to cultivate overnight was brushed off by a junior sister, resulting in irreparable losses.
The detection instrument crashed into the sea
An oceanography student accidentally dropped a million-dollar instrument into the ocean during an experiment.
Lost computer
A PhD student on the subway forgot his computer bag, which contained all the research materials, without backups.
Meteorological observation equipment was stolen
A set of meteorological observation equipment was stolen at the Institute of Desertification Control of the Ningxia Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, resulting in losses.
Toxic scientific materials are misused
A box of poisonous ants was taken by the villagers, who stored the "poison bait" in it in the refrigerator and prepared it for feeding to their grandchildren at night.
The graduation thesis was destroyed
After the couple quarreled, the girl angrily deleted her boyfriend's essay folder.
Dear students, have you ever experienced similar unfortunate events? Share your stories, let's exchange and wake up.