The definitive study of the herd instincts of astronomers has yet to be written, Fernie said, but there are times when we resemble nothing so much as a herd of antelope, heads down in tight formation, thundering with firm determination in a particular direction across the plain. At a given signal from the leader we whirl about, and, with equally firm determination, thunder off in quite a different direction, still in tight parallel formation.(quoting an observation made by astronomer J. Donal Fernie) .Michael Brooks
About This Quote
The expression “the herd” is used to refer to a group of people who behave in a similar way. The expression “the herd instincts of astronomers” was coined by J. Donal Fernie, an English astronomer who wrote about the herd instincts that he observed in the field. Fernie noticed that even when astronomers were observing different objects, they tended to have the same general ideas about their observations. Hence, he said, “The herd instincts of astronomers have yet to be written.”
Source: 13 Things That Dont Make Sense: The Most Baffling Scientific Mysteries Of Our Time
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