In the early days of independent India, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru said, “It is science alone that can solve the problems of hunger and poverty … of a rich country inhabited by starving people.” Would…
In the age of listicles, the life of a science journalist gets harder and harder. Explaining research clearly and accurately while holding onto readers’ attention has never been easy. Doing so when there…
No matter how strong the scientific argument and consensus among scientists there will always be people who reject the evidence. It happens on so many scientific topics, from climate change and vaccination…
Only two decades ago, when I was starting my PhD studies at the University of California in Berkeley, there was talk about the death of anatomy as a research subject. That hasn’t happened. Instead the…
The debate can get pretty shouty.
Rosalee Yagihara
The UK Council for Science and Technology recently called on prime minister David Cameron to reassess EU rules on GM crops. Two days later the Observer published an editorial bluntly declaring: “There’s…
Australia’s Chief Scientist Ian Chubb delivers his speech at the National Press Club today.
AAP
Often scientists spend most of their time concentrating on research, rather than getting out to promote it – but over the past two days, scientists have been meeting decision makers in Canberra at the…
There is an enormous gap between the effects and consequences of science, and how much scientists consider these consequences. This is dangerous, but there is something we can do about it. There is no…
The report released jointly by the Royal Society in the UK and the US National Academy of Sciences provides a guide to current climate change science for a non-scientific audience. In this respect it is…
Science has come a long way, it’s time for communication to catch up.
Pieter Kuiper
Reading about the rapid pace of advances in biomedicine, you may have wondered why more politically liberal countries like Germany and Canada have stronger restrictions on embryonic stem cell research…
GIFs can help show the effects of climate change.
Patrick Kelley
The use of “GIFs” has exploded in recent years. They are used for news, views and entertainment but are most commonly seen as a light-hearted medium. Now scientists are beginning to see how GIFs can be…
Don’t despair – there’s loads of science out there.
zetson
There are many who lament the poor state of affairs of science communication in Australia. Some commentators wonder why there is still so much controversy about climate change, genetically modified crops…
Emily Darling, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Scientists are increasingly turning to social media to publicise their research. While some see Twitter and Facebook as a bit of fun, others find online tools are becoming integral to their work. In an…
Social media and science are already intertwined – so why not embrace it?
NASA HQ PHOTO
With each passing year, technology percolates further into academic life. The year 2013 might look, in hindsight, like the year academic social media use went mainstream. Numbers of tweets and Facebook…
Young people are harbouring misconceptions about climate change. But what can be done about it?
Thinking image www.shutterstock.com
The next generation will be the ones to feel the increasing effects of climate change. But how much do they really know about it? After all, it’s one thing to say: yes, I believe in climate change. But…
Science is not always a safe space for women.
George Joch.
Martin Luther King said, “On some positions, Cowardice asks the question, ‘Is it safe?’ Expediency asks the question, ‘Is it politic?’ And Vanity comes along and asks the question, ‘Is it popular?’ But…
Our attitudes to genetic modification are based on how we feel about risk, technology and the pace of change.
John Serrao
As Rod Lamberts reminded us here recently, when it comes to debates on genetically modified (GM) foods, arguing about the validity of the science is about as effective as descending to name calling. That’s…
In a recent speech at the British Science Festival in Newcastle, England, Astronomer Royal Martin Rees said on policy issues “scientists have a special responsibility to engage”. Yet he added: “They should…
Thanks, we don’t want to know what you have to say.
lewishamdreamer
Popular Science has announced that it will be closing online comments on its news stories. Uncivil commenters have an overly negative effect on readers, it claims, with a small number of negative commenters…
You can’t combat a point of view based on values with arguments based on science.
John Virgolino
The ABC recently reported that 400 people in the Philippines trampled vitamin-enriched “golden rice” trial crops because of fears to human health and biodiversity. A Greenpeace representative in Manila…
Even when the Climate Commission was taxpayer funded it was good value.
The Climate Council
Many will be relieved at today’s announcement by board members of the Climate Commission that they will be continuing their work by setting up a community-funded Climate Council. Communicating climate…