Stephen Curry: scientist who uses X-rays to look at the atoms of protein molecules. Wonders about the place of science in the world. Works at Imperial College but views expressed here are his own.
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Category Archives: Science & Politics
More on Willetts’ Speech
In the days following Willetts’ big science policy speech, there had been a piece in Nature by Daniel Sarewitz and letters from disgruntled physical scientists to the EPSRC that in different ways highlighted the role of scientists in directing research funding. I was … Continue reading
The Case for Support
If you are a scientist and you want some money to spend on research, as part of the grant application you have to write a case for support. It has to be good. You need to describe why the problem … Continue reading
Alive to the prospects for libel reform
The campaign for libel reform has been grinding away for several years now but there was still a buzz of expectation as we gathered in Committee Room 10 in the House of Commons last Wednesday evening. By 6 pm the … Continue reading
Let’s democratise the bejesus out of libel reform
This week the Guardian made the astonishing revelation that a man who is heir to the throne by an accident of birth and who is the representative on Earth of precisely no-one has been enjoying the right of veto over … Continue reading
Posted in Libel Reform, Science & Politics
Tagged defamation, democracy, Libel reform, Parliament
32 Comments
Libel Reform: steps forward
Today sees the publication of a very important report on libel reform. The report is from the Parliamentary Joint Scrutiny Committee, which has been considering the government’s draft defamation bill in the light of oral and written evidence from interested … Continue reading
Posted in Libel Reform, Science & Politics
Tagged goldacre, Libel reform, Sense about Science, singh, wilmshurst
5 Comments
Careering out of control
As Jenny mentioned this morning, I have a post on the Science is Vital campaign on science careers on the Times Eureka blog today. For those of you without a subscription, the text is reproduced here: The business of science … Continue reading
Science, it’s a bloody marvel
Michael Brooks has scratched beneath the glossy surface of science to write a revealing and thoroughly entertaining book about its practitioners. By cutting so close to the scientific bone that it spills blood, his “Free Radicals” departs violently from the … Continue reading
Posted in History of Science, Science & Politics, Scientific Life
Tagged Book review, Michael Brooks
1 Comment
Numb or Numbered? Part 2.
Back in April — it seems so long ago now — I wrote about the problems created in university life science courses by the relatively low uptake of maths by the student intake. It provoked a very long and thoughtful … Continue reading
Posted in Maths, Science, Science & Politics
Tagged Maths, numeracy, Times Higher Education
22 Comments
Libel Reform – where are we?
Regular readers of this blog will be probably be aware of the ongoing campaign to reform the libel laws of England and Wales. These laws have pernicious effects in many aspects of public life — including science and medicine. They … Continue reading
Posted in Libel Reform, Science, Science & Politics
Tagged ben goldacre, Libel reform, Parliament, Science, simon singh
4 Comments
Here comes Impact
In UK scientific circles and the wider realm of academia impact has been around for a while now. Grant forms incorporate large blank spaces in which applicants are required to outline their plans for ensuring that the work they hope … Continue reading
Posted in Communication, Science, Science & Politics
Tagged impact, Science, Science Policy
7 Comments
You should have seen the look on her face
The last king of England to lead an army on the battlefield was George II, at the Battle of Dettingen in Bavaria in 1743 during the War of the Austrian Succession. The last President of the United States to serve … Continue reading
Posted in Science & Politics, Tech
Tagged Hilary Clinton, Obama, Osama bin Laden, technology, Video, war
23 Comments
Don’t submit. Submit.
We came. We chanted. We lobbied. We petitioned. And in the end, thanks to the Science is Vital Campaign and the persuasive efforts of CaSE and the learned societies and captains of high-tech industry, the UK science budget was protected … Continue reading
