According to About.com, the notion of "lateralization of brain function" (i.e. the left side of your brain controls logic and analysis, the right side of your brain controls intuition and subjectivity, and one or the other is more dominant depending on the individual) "has a basis in fact that has been dramatically distorted and exaggerated."
Science and The Arts are not mutually exclusive subjects. Many of us science geeks are actually thoughtful, creative beings who like to partake in artistic ventures like creating music, drawing and painting, and writing, among others.
Check out this blog post by Science Geek Girl. I was really drawn to her statement, "I found that I loved learning about science more than actually doing it." For this reason, along with other reasons explained in her post, she decided to become a science writer.
Here's an example of another blog post written by a science writer. If you click the link toward the top of this post (where it says, "really popular meme directed at science writers"), it brings to you a post by Discover Blogs, where you can read the stories of almost 150 scientists who decided to become scientific writers.
Why is this so cool? Science journalists can work in many different mediums. Like to play online? Create a blog! Want to travel the world? Science news happens EVERYWHERE. Are you super opinionated? There are simply thousands of newspapers and online sites who need editorial columnists.
According to Wellcome Trust, an independent medical research charity, "Skilled science journalists are in tune with the twists and turns of scientific discovery...they are right in the front line of science communication." Check out their video featuring veteran science journalist, Tim Radford. He says, "Whats's going on in science is so exciting, that it seems ridiculous that you wouldn't want to tell people. You can tell people things that have never been written before." Now that is amazing.
Can you see yourself using your knowledge of science to move into an artistic and creative field like science journalism?
I've flirted, every so often, with becoming a science fiction writer. I'd still have to research to get the proper names of what I was describing and not losing the audience with the truly impossible... I love reading them, why shouldn't I try my hand at writing. Never thought about possibly being a science journalist, seems like an interesting job. I think I'd have the most difficult time shortening what I write, though. I like the other potential science jobs, too.
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