Mad Scientist Magazine is to be a publication about amateur science, in it's application, it's participants, and it's value. I am an amateur scientist, and seek to both promote the lifestyle, and proselytize it's benefits. Ours should be a culture that creates, understands, and improves ourselves and our tools.

An amateur scientist is simply a person who uses scientific principles within his life, performs scientific research, or relies primarily upon scientific methods to made decisions, yet is not a member of that happy group that is paid and tenured to do such work for a living. Almost everyone, at some point in their lives has been an amateur scientist. An argument could be made that everyone is, because even professional scientists are not qualified in ALL realms of scientific thought. But the title 'amateur' need not be bad. Hobbyists and Home tinkerers have a long and distinguished history of adding to, correcting, and complementing mainstream science and scientists, arguably one group: Amateur Astronomers sometimes actually supersede the professionals in some areas(discovering comets, for example). We home engineers, and basement chemists may not have the budgets or focus of 'real' researchers, but creativity, enthusiasm, and the progressive nature of scientific discovery are on our side.

I wanted to start this magazine for a few reasons. First, to provide a voice and community for home scientists. Second, to encourage amateurs within scientific investigation, showing that Truth is there for the discovery with or without mandates and budgets. Third, to foster the spirit of engineering experimentation in myself and others. And fourth, to help struggling Mad Scientists like myself and my friends work more effectively, see more clearly, and build and discover more.