Abstract
In the Editorial “Ten Simple Rules for Doing Your Best Research, According to Hamming” [1], Erren and colleagues discussed ten ideas originally presented by Hamming for how to do great science. I am grateful that the authors started this discussion. Scientific careers are very challenging, and there is a lack of training in many graduate programs to provide this kind of career meta-advice. Such discussions are a good starting point, and young scientists should take them seriously.
Highlights
In the Editorial ‘‘Ten Simple Rules for Doing Your Best Research, According to Hamming’’ [1], Erren and colleagues discussed ten ideas originally presented by Hamming for how to do great science
While I can’t claim to have the reputation of Hamming, I grew up in a family of well-known scientists, and have had plenty of chances to observe the trajectories of scientific careers over my lifetime
I propose the following as a somewhat distinct set of guidelines for doing the best research: 1. Don’t worry about age, worry about being exposed to new ideas. While it appears that age plays a role in scientific creativity, it has not been well examined whether that role is biologically causative
Summary
In the Editorial ‘‘Ten Simple Rules for Doing Your Best Research, According to Hamming’’ [1], Erren and colleagues discussed ten ideas originally presented by Hamming for how to do great science. Often the big discoveries come from someone noticing an inconsistency or oddity in their surroundings or experiments, doggedly working to figure out what is causing it. It is critical to balance hard work with other activities, those that provide exposure to new and different challenges: travel, sports, hobbies, family, or whatever.
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