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  1. Scapegoats for overstrained Authorities?

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    In February 1975 something exceptional happened in China. Nocturnal animals came out of their holes, chicken stepped down their ladders and dogs and cats behaved in strange ways. Chinese farmers, who were ordered  by law to report unusual behavior of their animals to the local authorities, did so. After consulting scientists, regional officials announced an Earthquake warning. They ordered the evacuation of Haicheng, a city of one million inhabitants.
     
    On February 4th, a 7.3 earthquake shook the region. More than 2.000 people died, but it was estimated that the number of fatalities and injuries would have exceeded 150,000 if no earthquake prediction and evacuation had been made.
     
    Seismologists all over the world looked in astonishment to China.
     
    Only five months later, on July 28th, a 7.6 quake hit Tangshan, another one-million city in China. No warning, no precursors. The Earthquake took 250.00 lives. This quake repealed the hopes, that earthquake-prediction could be in reach for seismology.
     
    But back to the present days. Let's go to Italy and take a close look of what happened during the last weeks to Italian earth scientists.
    Six Seismologists are accused of manslaughter for not raising the alarm in the days preceding the earthquake in L’Aquila, Italy, last year. Science on trial - Earthquake damage in L'Aquila, 2009
    The answer of the scientific community is immense. More than 5,160 scientists and other professionals from different countries signed an appeal letter to the President of Italy, Giorgio Napolitano.
     
    But this case has to be reviewed from various points of views. Natures blog „The Great Beyond“ asked, whether the categorical support is in a way „misleading“, as Flavio Dobarn said in a letter to Nature. “The indictment is an unfortunate result of the way Italian science is being practiced,” he says, referring to a strongly politicized academic environment.
     
    Others ask, if the hazard assessment methods have to be adapted to the modern knowledge of earthquakes and their processes. This argument is addressed to all countries, living in constant risk of extreme natural phenomena. Methods like modern vulnerability, estimations and appropriate urban management structures have to be rebrushed all over the world.
     
    But: is accusing scientists for not predicting an unpredictable natural phenomenon the suitable reaction? It definitely should be the starter for a new debate about the intermingling of politics and sciences – especially to find solutions for a sensitive problem like disaster management.
     

     

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  2. Is it better to be an academic in the US or Europe?

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    Europe lead on public engagement while the US enjoy the science stimulus package – on which side of the Atlantic is it better to be a scientist?

    Delegates of the EuroScience Open Forum 2010 in Turin, Italy were reminded today that while social attitudes will always trump science, there are distinct differences between practice in scientific advice for policy in the US and Europe. Values typically win over hard science and this is hard to accept for many scientists working on the cutting edge in controversial areas like stem cell research and climate change.

    europausa1Alan Leshner, CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) gave the perspective from the US emphasising that the attitudes of policy makers and the public matter greatly.

    “The last decade has been very rocky in the US,” he said. “Science advisor positions were downgraded so they were no longer assistances to the President under George Bush’s administration.” However with President Obama in power, distinguished scientists have been appointed to leadership positions. Base research funding in the US has increased, not counting the stimulus package.

    However, scientists in the US find themselves battling against teaching methods where creationism is often taught alongside evolution. Leshner believes the answer is public engagement over public education. “Scientists often take an education approach – ‘the poor people out there don’t understand.’ Often the public understand the science, they just don’t like it.”

    Europe is leading on public engagement, the conference was told by the American. However it is an uphill struggle as “the public are free to ignore, distort or deny science at will.”

    While Europe leads the way on public engagement and scientists appears to have a better relationship with the public, European countries are “good at scientific knowledge creation but not so good at innovation” said Roland Schenkel, Director General of the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission.

    “The commissioner has made innovation her personal priority,” said Schenkel who also commented that Europe needs to start taking more risks to be at the forefront of innovation.

    While Europe enjoy good relations with better engaged policy makers and public, the US steam ahead on innovation with increased budgets for science. Take your pick?

    by Leila Sattary

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