It certainly doesn't help in this regard that many scientists involved in Environmental Science are also passionate political activists.
Absolutely.
I think we're going to have to have some kind of new certification system for research that affects public policy. Scientists simply can not be activists -- the conflict of interest is too great. If you find a meteor is going to strike the earth next year, you'd better be spending your time on orbital calculations and mass estimates, not on the Today show. Leave that to the politicians. Mind your knitting.
In the code arena I'll be charitable and say that mistakes were made at CRU. Public-funded science should run from a public wiki or source control system where the scientists are the only authors but the public at large are readers. Yes, I know that will drive some scientists mad compared to the current secretive system but it's time to let some daylight in, folks. You'll never, ever win an argument with an honest skeptic if you're keeping secrets. As for the dishonest ones? They're not your job. Mind your knitting.
Absolutely.
I think we're going to have to have some kind of new certification system for research that affects public policy. Scientists simply can not be activists -- the conflict of interest is too great. If you find a meteor is going to strike the earth next year, you'd better be spending your time on orbital calculations and mass estimates, not on the Today show. Leave that to the politicians. Mind your knitting.
In the code arena I'll be charitable and say that mistakes were made at CRU. Public-funded science should run from a public wiki or source control system where the scientists are the only authors but the public at large are readers. Yes, I know that will drive some scientists mad compared to the current secretive system but it's time to let some daylight in, folks. You'll never, ever win an argument with an honest skeptic if you're keeping secrets. As for the dishonest ones? They're not your job. Mind your knitting.