Bad news for those of us that believe that a pint (some might say that a pint is only a promising start) after a long day’s work is only a nice way to chill out and recharge batteries for the next day (of more hard work?). According to a study published in Oikos , consumption of beer correlates with scientific productivity ... and not in the way that some of us would hope for. Moreover, the study comes from Czech scientists. The Czech republic is said to have the highest per capita consumption of beer in the world. So if Czech researchers say that beer is not good for scientists, they certainly have written this with a heavy heart.
Basically the research shows that publication success is correlated, in the fields of behavioural and evolutionary ecology in the Czech republic, and that this correlation happens even when the subject of research drank only a glass (and more so when they drink more than that). This correlation is negative so the more they drink the poorer the publication record.
I found this research mentioned in the NYT and one of the comments was (not entirely unexpected) that correlation is not causation and that beer drinking might not be responsible for poor academic success but probably the other way round: poor academic success leads researchers to drink more. I for one keep my fingers crossed that these people don’t start studying now the influence of red wine. Some times ignorance is bliss…
UPDATE: Apparently (and unsurprisingly) not everybody agrees with the methodology and conclusions of this paper.
I have my suspicions that the editor didn’t mean the paper to be taken seriously. It is in the April edition, even if the paper was actually released in February.
Hi Bob,
That’s a good point. I wonder if an editor would risk the reputation of a journal this way but on the other hand…it really sounds like an outrageous statement to make that beer makes bad science, isn’t it?
Check out this related blog post by Bora Zivkovic last month.
Thanks Graham!
I had (tasty Czech) beer with the author of the article a month ago… and he is really interesting and open-minded guy. His article is something more than joke and somenthing less than science. Simply, it is encouragement of further research. Btw, although I am (typical Czech) beer lover, I think results can be significant and interesting – but only for “average man”.
Hi Boris,
I love Czech biers myself (would not mind a krusovice right now) and I am more than happy to wait for more statistical evidence before concluding that beer is bad for science.
David, I am sure beer is NOT bad for science, but can be bad for some scientist. This is what life is about: some things are good for some people, but the same things can be bad for others. Everybody has her/his needs and conditions. For example, when I drink beer with open-minded persons, doesnt matter if they are chemists, biologists, philosophers or historians, it is the best thing for my scientific life. No research can change my feelings :-).
Krusovice beer is too sweet… I like more bitter beers (as well as you?). Mostly I drink BERNARD (in the pub Pod Limpou in Olomouc city), but I like RADEGAST, PILSNER URQUELL, STAROPRAMEN, LITOVEL, HANUSOVICE, BUDWEISER… as well. Czech Republic is beer paradise!
Map of Czech Republic made up of beer caps.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:CzechbeersE.jpg
Hi Boris, sorry for taking so long to answer. I am in the middle of a research trip. Count me in for a Staropramen too. Also I am with you in that a bit of socialisation is the best thing for rearch even for the computer scientists and mathematicians among us. If beer helps us with that then I will more than welcome it. I am also a big fun of coffee wich has similar side effects.
Hi David, of course discussions with open-minded people are always fruitful and meaningful. It should be, I presuppose, the purpose of nature network, shouldnt it? :-)