Science has released its review of editorial policies following the problems with the papers from South Korean stem cell scientist Hwang Woo Suk. Main conclusion: “Editors of scientific journals should beef up their level of skepticism about high-profile papers submitted to them and demand solid evidence that the work was completed as described”. The whole report is here.
An interesting discussion on how popular science, namely New Scientist, helps (or not) scientists has been going on in the psci-com list.
Jenny Gristock started it by asking the community and now has written an article on it to Media Guardian, which can be read in her blog.
Discovery magazine presents the “25 Greatest Science Books of All-Time” on its December issue, “the essential reading list for anyone interested in science”. But you are envited to cast cast your vote until December 15 on the “Poll: What’s the Greatest Science Book of All-Time?”.
Form Science magazine (7 July 2000) two essays on science and society:
Selling Science to the Public, by Roger Highfield
The Nature of Evidence, by Boyce Rensberger
The Science Museum, London, and the Sun newspaper have published a book “presenting the greatest developments in the history of science”: Giant Leaps.
The right hand pages are written in the style of a sensational Sun front-page scoop, whilst the left hand pages give a more serious but nonetheless accessible account of the key event.
The 50th birthday of New Scientist is packed with goodies.
“UK scientist, author and broadcaster Armand Marie Leroi is the 2006 winner of the EMBO (European Molecular Biology Organization) Award for Communication in the Life Sciences“
Newton’s Apple, a new science think-tank. “Its objective is to bring a greater appreciation of the vital role that science, technology and engineering contribute to the wealth of the UK and the health of its people.”
The book, by Lars Lindberg Christensen, The Hands-On Guide for Science Communicators: A Step-by-Step Approach to Public Outreach will soon be available.
A news report from Pew Internet & American Life Project Pew Internet: The Internet and Science says that “87% of online users have at one time used the internet to carry out research on a scientific topic or concept and 40 million adults use the internet as their primary source of news and information about science.”
AAAS has announced the 2006 Science Journalism Awards. Here they are:
> Large Newspaper—Circulation of 100,000 or more
Probing a Mind for a Cure, Stacey Burling, Philadelphia Inquirer.
> Small Newspaper—Circulation less than 100,000
The Ghosts of Yosemite, Save Our Snow and Dust and Snow, Michelle Nijhuis, High Country News.
>Magazine
Building a Better Banana, Craig Canine, Smithsonian
>Television
A program on RNA interference, the chemistry of fuel cells, two wizards of supercomputing, and the fastest moving glacier in the world, Samuel Fine, Julia Cort, Vincent Liota, Peter Doyle e Dean Irwin, NOVA scienceNOW.
>Radio
“Living on Earth” program: Some Like it Hot…, Cold Fusion: A Heated History and Pebble Bed Technology—Nuclear Promise or Peril?, Bruce Gellerman, Steve Curwood, Terry Fitzpatrick, Chris Ballman, Public Radio International.
>Online
The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake: 100 Years Later, Larisa Epatko, Leah Clapman, Rich Vary and Katie Kleinman, Online NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.
>Children’s Science News
Fade to White, Beth Geiger, Current Science
Worth reading: The Perils of Poor Science Journalism.
There’s an interesting post at KSJ Tracker – Columbus Dispatch: Letting scientists do the talking.
Christopher Smith from the University of Cambridge has been awarded the Science Communication award.
The students of the Center for Science and Medical Journalism at the Boston University College of Communication have a new magazine out. It’s called SciTini: Science with a Twist and it’s worth a look.
[disclaimer: I am an alumni of the program...]
