TASMANIA’S celebration of Science Week will draw children and adults alike into the world of knowledge scientists have built through centuries of work.
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Drone flying demonstrations and other activities planned for the week give people an idea of the possibilities that science has opened.
The conversation this fosters between scientists and the community works to their mutual benefit.
But in Monday night’s Q&A debate, the need for the public and science to engage became clearer.
The most significant discussion on the program was between particle physicist Brian Cox and One Nation senator-elect Malcolm Roberts.
It showed why scientists need to spread knowledge of their pursuits and advocate them in the community.
Senator-elect Roberts engaged in a showdown with a sometimes exasperated Professor Cox over the basic science of climate change.
The Queensland politician disputes the evidence that the environmental problem is human-caused, although his reasons aren’t coherent.
With references to a conspiracy led by NASA, he’s trying to cast doubt on an established set of facts which point to anthropogenic climate change.
Dr Cox did well to explain the science, although Senator-elect Roberts is unlikely to be persuaded.
More important than convincing him is defending the science from unfounded smears, and to maintain public trust in it.
Understanding of how science tests knowledge and explains the world makes easier the job of scientists explaining the human causes of climate change like Professor Cox.
The thing about conspiracy theories is that they work in reverse order to science.
Where science uses facts to reach theories, those buying into conspiracies start with their belief and make the facts fit into them.
It’s very hard to refute conspiracy theories because they can’t really be tested and are self-fulfilling.
The more scientists communicate their knowledge, methods and new projects to the wider public, the more trust in their work will flourish within the community.
That’s the way to defend against wild claims like those of Senator-elect Roberts’.