30,000-Foot View

As I hurtle through the sky at 522 mph over the Atlantic Ocean, I am marveling – as I usually do when airborne – at the audacity of the human race. How many scientific discoveries and engineering breakthroughs were behind getting the first plane off the ground – and how many analytical scientists does it take to keep one aloft?

The woman in the seat next to me politely asks the reason for my flight. “Pittcon 2016,” I say and explain that the show has everything to do with measurement science; from ensuring the safety of the always-inadequate portion of in-flight food to the quality of the jet fuel pumped into our magnificent flying machine 1715 miles ago.

I continue: “From the blood test that tells you you’re vitamin D deficient – likely too long in the UK – to the amount of active pharmaceutical ingredient in the aspirin you took as a precaution to deep-vein thrombosis – we analytical scientists are everywhere!”.

“That sounds simply fascinating,” she says.

“Yes,” I thought to myself. “Yes, it is.”

Working, as you tend to do, in distinct vertical application areas or specialized horizontal techniques in the imagined analytical matrix in my mind, I suspect it’s easy to slip into a state of apathy at times. When the samples seem never-ending and the reward appears only to be shifting digits in an online banking account, you could quickly forget the impact of your work on the man on the street (or the woman on the plane).

As the Editor of The Analytical Scientist, I am surrounded by the work of  “fascinating” people – and it’s my job to draw out the impact – but even I fall into a brief state of ennui occasionally, when the frankly miraculous becomes almost commonplace.

Looking out the window, I see blue sky and clouds, but I also imagine teams of researchers down below, collecting air samples and sending probes into the deep oceans. I look at my glass of (mediocre) red wine and ponder how the sweetness of the grapes was measured – and if my oral microbiota (see page 14) really do play such a big role in my enjoyment (they must be having an off day). And does my brightly colored “fab” popsicle really contain “no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives”? In short, I have time (over nine hours) to reflect on the wonders of analytical science and the amazing role you play in society.

Thankfully, these thoughts are actually reinforced on a regular basis by the many inspiring lectures I see at an embarrassment of conferences each year – and every time I speak to the Waseem Asghars of the world.

Rich Whitworth

Editor