At the beginning of February, Scott Adams posted on his blog Dilbert about “Science’s Biggest Fail“. The issue, said Adams, is that science has lost its credibility in the public because uncertainty over when science is ‘done’. Scott Adams, “Science isn’t about being right every time, or even most of the time. It is aboutContinue reading “On ‘scienceyness’ and public trust”
Category Archives: controversial science
IFLScience – a case of (positive) hype around science
If you haven’t heard of I Fucking Love Science (or IFLS for any sensitive readers out there) then let me give you a quick run down. Established sometime in March 2012 by Elise Andrew, IFLS has accumulated over 18 million Facebook followers and over 120 000 followers on Twitter, which is pretty incredible given the readershipContinue reading “IFLScience – a case of (positive) hype around science”
Selling through science (aka commercial hype)
So, we’ve looked at hype from a variety of sources (including scientists, journals and media), but what about those huge proponents of big promises – the commercial sector? The nutritional supplement industry in the USA, which made $11.5 billion in sales in 2012, is a easy example to make. In May 2014, the American FederalContinue reading “Selling through science (aka commercial hype)”
Shark tales: on cage diving
Internet hype gives us a chance to look into the ethics of cage diving with sharks
A war of perceptions on GMOs
In a war of perceptions, how do you know which experts are providing the ‘right’ information?
Arguments in science
From the outside it might appear that all scientists are the same. After all they have all spent a long time in higher education institutions, they all know quite technical things relevant to their field, and they all wear lab coats (right?). But ‘the scientist’ is not an identity that any one person or groupContinue reading “Arguments in science”
Everyone’s an expert on Ebola
Just a short post today to make mention of an article in the Weekend Australia Inquirer section which dealt with Ebola in a surprisingly tasteful manner (if we by pass the title ‘death and danger on the seething front line of Ebola’). Jamie Walker, associate editor of the section, reported on developments in Ebola throughContinue reading “Everyone’s an expert on Ebola”
How to prove your point about climate change
When we debate controversial science it’s important to be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of authority figures. Do you know your climate change experts?
Talking about experts
An expert is qualified to give opinions based on their in depth involvement, but it doesn’t make them the last word on a subject. It just gives their opinion more weight than someone without their specific knowledge.
A gap in science journalism: communicating about Ebola
With all the hype around online (and with misinformed people like Donald Trump tweeting about how Ebola victims should have stayed in Africa to prevent spreading the virus), it’s time to talk about how Ebola has exposed a gap in science communication. While organisations like the CDC created a resource for people in the USContinue reading “A gap in science journalism: communicating about Ebola”
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