But Maybe We Want to Save the World

Evolutionary Bio TA: So what do you guys think of these articles, anyway? Do you like them? Do you think they're boring? Honestly, I'd like to know.
Class: Um...
Brendan: To be frank, I think most of the articles we read for this class are such a waste of time. They're just shoddy work. I mean, compared to the scientific articles I read for other classes, the ones in here have failed to convince me of anything. [Walks out the door.]
TA: Huh.
Laura: Yeah, I don't know if it's just because we're children of the molecular biology revolution or what, but honestly, these things are boring, and they're boring because they're fluffy.
TA: I wouldn't call them fluffy... but you're right. You guys are so used to thinking on the molecular level, everyone is these days, that you lose sight of the bigger picture.
Laura: Well, we're familiar with having the tools available to actually answer the questions at hand. I look at an article like this one on the possible genetic basis of a developmental change in sepal formation in this plant, and I'm thinking of all the different ways we could actually test that, instead of just doing some basic Mendelian hybrids and speculating. I mean, you could figure out the protein that causes it, and fluorescently stain it, and see exactly how it happens in the plant embryo. Then you could go back and do the little evolutionary studies in a more knowledgeable fashion, if you still needed them at all. And don't even get me started on that crickets paper.
TA: The thing it takes a while for you to realize is that all of these studies are dependent on funding. And not many people are ready to dole out funding unless you look like you're trying to save the world.
Laura: I guess you don't have to worry about that much studying crickets.

ZING!