Sometimes scientists make Chicken Little seem laid back.
Too often, in their noble attempt to create “a healthy environment and a safer world,” the scientists and activists at the nonprofit Union of Concerned Scientists use fear to motivate the public. Whether they are talking about Global Warming, Science Integrity, or Nuclear Weapons (some of the key issues they monitor), one senses the end of the world is within hours. I suspect other folks (like me) get overwhelmed and just start to tune out the message. Too bad because the work they do is important. They help keep the government on its toes, educate the public on critical science policy areas and make it simple for us to put the heat on Congress when something’s not right. And, they tell us about important upcoming science policy legislation.
Fortunately, a cluster of readers’ emails alerted me to a welcome change at UCS. Humor?! How refreshing to see science comics (above) depicting the politically polarizing topic of scientific integrity in government. There are about a dozen on the UCS site. Some are very funny. All use few words to speak volumes about the subject.
And, the group is partnering with Penguin Classics to get your take on global warming: UCS and Penguin Classics are encouraging aspiring writers and photographers to submit their personal stories and images about global warming for publication in a new online book, Thoreau’s Legacy: American Stories about Global Warming. Deadline is 11/15.
Let’s hope they find more ways to use this fresh and accessible approach and serve as a model for other public science advocates who sometimes take themselves way too seriously.
Cheers!
PS: Supporters of the movement to reopen of the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment (one of my favorite pet projects) might find it interesting that, 5 years ago, UCS launched a call to action to reverse U.S. policies on international trade. This was part of an attempt to tackle non-native invasive species ruining conservation efforts. The call to action was deliberately launched on the 10th Anniversary of a landmark OTA report on invasive species. Viva OTA! Sign the Science Cheerleader’s petition to get this Congressional Office reopened.
Tags: Comics, Global Warming, invasive species, OTA, Scientific Integrity, Union of Concerned Scientists
September 9th, 2008 at 10:16 am
Thanks for bringing this up. I get to hear many famous scientists give talks when they receive awards. The tone you describe so well pervades these talks. In their defense, it must be terribly frustrating to know the science behind a looming disaster and try to make your message fit your audience rather than just yelling “le ciel lui tombe sur la tete.”
It does seem scientists are talking excitedly in French to an audience ignorant of that language. Fewer well-chosen words in English would work much better.
September 28th, 2008 at 11:14 pm
Correct on all counts; fortunately, exceptions abound.
Saw a presentation today by Rick Schubert, Director of Wildlife Rehabilitation at the Schuylkill Center
http://www.schuylkillcenter.org/departments/wildlife/
He managed to convey urgency of human impact stressing wildlife while remaining positive and passionate.
Cool Science Question #1: How do Black Vultures (Coragyps atratus) stay healthy while wallowing in carrion? There may be naturally occurring antibacterial agents in avian tissues! See The Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy http://jac.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/44/3/416
Cool Science Question #2: What happens to those lab mice when the scientists are done poking and prodding? Well, Temple sends its ‘control’ mice to thje Schuylkill Center to feed the recovering raptors> Now THAT’S recycling.