New Columbia student #1: So what are you majoring in?
New Columbia student #2: Um, like, math I guess.
–Downtown 1 Train
Overheard by: DH
Archive for the ‘Science’ Category
She Blinded Wednesday-One-Liners with Science
Teen thug: You know, if you put’em on hot they dry faster. On hot the clothes dry faster.
–Kingsland Ave & Jackson Ave., Willamsburg
Overheard by: confabulation nation
Hipster on cell: She thinks the entire world revolves around her. What is she, the sun?
–Union Square
Would-be physicist: Did you ever hear of magnetic repulsion? Because I swear to god that door has an eastern pole or something.
–Walgreens Drugstore, Union Square
Overheard by: kbot
Guy: So, you’ve dissected cats before?
–Lafayette & Centre St
Overheard by: Janelle
Loud chick: So I was looking on the Internet to learn more about our planet and biodiversity and shit, and there’s like five more extinctions supposed to happen! You know, like the dinosaurs and shit!
–Ray’s Pizza, E Houston
Overheard by: just visiting!
Soccer mom: He has had some really hard social studies stuff… Like why the seasons change and the how the earth moves around the sun.
–Warren Fields, Murray & West Side Highway
Overheard by: Soccer Nanny
The Filming of Back to School II
Eddie Izzard: We’ve explored space, but we haven’t drilled down. You all remember Journey to the Center of the Earth. Why don’t we just drill down to the center and see the…what’s it called?
Guy: Magma.
Eddie Izzard: Yeah, we’ll get a heat resistant camera and we’ll see the magma. And they’ll make a documentary–
Guy: It wouldn’t work.
Eddie Izzard: Eh?
Guy: The density would be too intense.
Eddie Izzard: No, we would take the rocks out behind us–
Guy: No, the air would be too dense. As you approach the center of
the earth, the density of the air increases.
Eddie Izzard: But what if you took the rocks out?
Guy: No, the air would still be too dense.
Eddie Izzard: Oh, well I guess you would know better than I. You must be some sort of scientist?
Guy: Actually, I’m an actor…but I took science class.
–The Village Theatre, Bleecker Street
Or “Wicked Brilliant,” to Be Exact
Chick #1: I don't get it. I mean, why would you go to Cambridge to study science? Why not go to Oxford?
Chick #2: Either way, it's England, so it's mad awesome.
–Penn Station
Overheard by: Jedusor
Itching, Burning, Flaking Wednesday One-Liners
Girl to friend: I told him you had fucking mad STDs because he said he wanted to fuck you. (pause) You're welcome!
–Washington Square Park
Suit exiting cab: Yo, make sure you don't give him your number. He's got crabs.
–30th Ave & 30th St, Astoria
Overheard by: OhKellyO
Blonde 20-something on phone: Either the universe just proved there is no god, or he is a motherfucking cunt! (pauses, then in low tone) Because… I think I have herpes.
–Battery Park
Overheard by: close enough to hear the herpes part
Thug to thugette: I didn't have warts on my body till I met you.
–Metro North
Overheard by: baconista
Guy on cell, leaning casually against fire hydrant: Hey, so, I just got my test results back, and… uh… so I got herpes. So… maybe you should get yourself tested. (pause) No, no, no. No. No! Dammit, Jessica, listen, I… fuck. Sorry, Jennifer. No, I–no, I'm sorry, I've just been making this call a lot today. (pause) Hello?
–Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
Overheard by: Kytt
And a Master's in Ships
Guy: I could be an astronaut.
Girl: You have to be like really really smart to be an astronaut, you have to have like a doctoral in engineering and a doctoral in space…
–Javitz Center
Especially When It Predicts a Black Hole at the Big Bang
Good looking brunette: Yeah, then we talked about physics.
Intrigued girl pal: Oh, really? Why?
Good looking brunette: Not sure, but I remember it turned me on.
Intrigued girl pal: Oh…
(awkward silence)
Hot guy pal: (nods head)
Good looking brunette: What? I really like physics! Its the math… I really like math.
–Park Ave
Overheard by: angela
Then They Picked up Their Violins and Rode Off to Their Parents’ Dry Cleaners
Asian nerd #1: Neutrons!
Asian nerd #2: … Subatomic particles!
Asian nerd #3: Velocity times speed equals… Power! [all start cheering and high-fiving one another.]
–Park Ave & 23rd St
Overheard by: …not very science-y
Or It's That LSD Tab We Just Split
Southern tourist boy: Mommy! Look at the tops of the tall buildings… It looks like the clouds are standing still and the buildings are moving!
Mom: That's because the earth is turning so quickly, sweetie.
–Rockefeller Center
Overheard by: Bill O.
If the U.S. Census Were Administered This Way, We Might Actually Complete It
Crazy man on subway: Now that its almost the weekend, it is once again time for me to share my knowledge. Now, how many people here have seen the Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones feature film Men in Black?
75-year-old British man: Oh, this will be wonderful. Very scientific.
–E Train