Science and public bibliography: March 2002
A monthly round-up of books, reports and articles collated by the Wellcome
Library's Information Service. Where freely available, web links have been
provided to the full text document. All the below references are publicly
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Books & Reports
Bolz, Hanno
GenComics
Weinheim ; New York : Wiley-VCH, c2001, ISBN 3527304207
Subject headings: Genetics; Wit and humor
Brown, Richard with Aleksander, Igor, MacKenzie, Jonathan and Faith, Joe
Biotica : art, emergence and artificial life
London : RCA CRD Research, c2001, 117p, ISBN 1874175330
Subject headings: Art; Artificial life
Galison, Peter, Gordin, Michael and Kaiser, David eds.
Science and society : the history of modern physical science in the
twentieth century
New York ; London : Routledge, 2001, 4v., ISBN 0415937140 (set)
Subject headings: Physics; Science - History; Science - Social aspects
Kitcher, Philip
Science, truth, and democracy
Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2001, 219p, ISBN 0195145836
Subject headings: Science - Social aspects; Science - Philosophy
Leiss, William
In the chamber of risks : understanding risk controversies
Montreal : McGill-Queen's University Press, c2001, 388p, ISBN 0773522468
Subject headings: Risk assessment; Risk management
Nottingham, Stephen
Screening DNA : exploring the cinema-genetics interface
Stevenage : DNA Books, 2000, 226 leaves, ISBN 1903421004
Subject headings: Genetics; Motion picture film
Singer, S. Jonathan
The splendid feast of reason
Berkeley : University of California Press, c2001, 242p, ISBN 0520224256
Subject headings: Science - Philosophy; Biology - Social aspects
Wilson, Stephen
Information arts : intersections of art, science, and technology
Cambridge, Mass. : MIT Press, c2002, 945p, ISBN 026223209X
Subject headings: Art and science; Technology and the arts
Articles - Science & Public
Else, Liz. Mary, Mary quite contrary. New Scientist, vol.172, no.2315, 3
November 2001, pp.48-51
An interview with Mary Midgley, Britain's most vocal moral philosopher who
has condemned scientists for attempting to turn science into a religion,
making people believe in certainties and the truth of scientific metaphors.
Her recently published book, Gaia: the next big idea, explores these issues
and offers the author's own suggestions as to how science should be viewed.
Kettle, Martin. Two cultures still. Guardian, 2 February 2002, p.22
In 1959 C.P. Snow delivered his Rede lecture entitled Two cultures and the
scientific revolution. In it he voiced concern over what he saw as the two
cultures within Britain, the arts and the sciences, neither of which
communicated with the other. Martin Kettle examines the present state of
affairs and concludes that very little has changed since then. While
scientific issues such as disease, food production and climate change are
certainly within the public domain, too often the scientific voice in any
debate is marginalised and scientific representation at key levels, such as
within the government, is lacking.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4348303,00.html
Leshner, Alan I. Advancing science, serving society. Science, vol.295,
no.5557, 8 February 2002, p.929
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is taking on a new
leadership role on behalf of science and technology and their contributions
to society, with the aim of involving academia, schools, media and
government in the development of its programmes.
Odone, Cristina. Science in the dock. Observer, 17 February 2002, p.27
In people's need to find out the truth about their world, they placed
scientists on a pedestal and treated them as the new gods but various
blunders such as the MMR debate and the BSE fiasco have helped cause a
dramatic fall from grace. However, the author believes that scientists
should not be held responsible for people's yearnings and have never set
themselves up to be regarded as infallible. The public needs to be aware of
this.
http://www.observer.co.uk/comment/story/0,6903,651588,00.html
Vogelstein, Bert, Alberts, Bruce and Shine, Kenneth. Please don't call it
cloning! Science, vol.295, no.5558, 15 February 2002, p.1237
Cloning is a broadly used shorthand term that in scientific terms refers to
producing a copy of some biological entity. However, confusion has arisen
among the public so that cloning seems to have become synonymous with
somatic cell nuclear transfer (which can be used to produce stem cells).
Researchers are proposing that the term "nuclear transplantation" be used
instead to accurately capture the concept.
Wassersug, Richard. That's entertainment. New Scientist, vol.172, no.2315, 3
November 2001, pp.52-53
Wassersug, a scientist who has dedicated his life to the study of tadpoles
because "they have kept me entertained for years", discusses his view that
the type of science that entertains is equally important as "sober" science
that has a physical or economic benefit. Indeed, if scientists wish to gain
public support and, consequently, funding for their research, they must be
prepared to tell the public exactly what they are doing in terms that are
easily understood and in a way that will make scientific discoveries
exciting.
Articles - Science Communication
Cook, Gareth. Worlds collide; "science couture" in a magazine. SW Newsletter
of the National Association of Science Writers, vol.51, no.1, Winter
2001-02, pp.14-15
Seed is a new Montreal-based science magazine that aims to combine science
with fashion. Articles about important scientific issues are interspersed
with evocative photographs and advertisements for Hugo Boss, Evian and Club
Monaco. It is a novel attempt to bring two very different worlds together
and to draw a new audience to science.
Dickson, David. Weaving a social web. Nature, vol.414, no.6864, 6 December
2001, p.587
While the Internet has had a profound impact on the way professional
researchers exchange information, little attention has been paid to the ways
in which it may be used to communicate scientific knowledge to
non-scientists. However, a newly-launched website, SciDev.Net, aims to
bridge this gap by providing a public forum for debate about the
contribution, or otherwise, of science and technology to the needs of
developing countries. The site was launched with the backing of both Nature
and Science, is produced with the support of the Third World Academy of
Sciences and is financed by international aid agencies in Britain, Sweden
and Canada.
http://www.scidev.net/
Ince, Martin. Always follow the code? View from the chalk face. STEMPRA
Newsletter, no.1, February 2002, p.4
The publication of the Royal Society/Royal Institution/Social Issues
Research Centre Guidelines on science and health communication have caused
consternation among many in the science communication arena. One area of
concern is that the guidelines do not appear to have been informed by
research on how people actually use the media. The guidelines also do not
fully understand the important role a subeditor plays in turning out a story
that is readable and attention-catching. Finally, there is concern over the
caveat discouraging the reporting of conference papers before they have been
published in a referred journal. A copy of the guidelines is available at
http://www.sirc.org/publik/revised_guidelines.pdf
Locke, Joanne, Whiteman, Lily and Mitrany, Devora. Plain language in
science: signs of intelligible life in the science community? Science
Editor, vol.24, no.6, November-December 2001, p.194
Scientists are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of presenting
their work in language that everyone can understand. To this end, some
university programmes are beginning to include courses in science
communication as part of the curriculum and scientists themselves are
becoming much more willing to spend time improving the way they communicate
their work to the public.
Articles - Science & Art
Bond, Michael. About face. New Scientist, vol.173, no.2330, 16 February
2002, pp.44-47
Glasgow artist Mark Gilbert spent a year at St Bartholomew's and the Royal
London Hospital painting patients before, during and after facial surgery at
the invitation of surgeon Iain Hutchinson. In an 'Opinion Interview' both
talk about the very positive psychological impact these paintings had on the
patients. The paintings are to be exhibited at the National Portrait gallery
later in February.
See also: Saving faces: art and medicine working together. Lancet, vol.359,
no.9302, 19 January 2002, p.267
Cox, Roger. Just another sleepless night. Scotsman, Section 2, 5 February
2002, p.11
Nottingham-based experimental theatre group, Reckless Sleepers, was formed
in 1989 with the aim of creating theatre about concepts and states of mind
that are difficult to understand. Their latest work, Sleepers, grew out of a
month-long research project into sleep deprivation, including a 48 hour
period where the group's members went without sleep. The work is a
distillation of their research findings.
Friedman, Robert. Dangers of dramatizing science. Physics World, February
2002, pp.16-17
There have been several high-profile plays in recent years, Copenhagen,
Breaking the Code, and QED, that are based on the history of science.
However, while drama can certainly stimulate thought and raise questions,
Friedman is concerned that too much dramatic licence can lead to inaccurate
portrayals of scientists which give the audience a false picture of both the
scientist's work and their character.
Glasser, Brian. From Kafka to casualty: doctors and medicine in popular
culture and the arts - a special studies module. Journal of Medical Ethics:
Medical Humanities, vol.27, December 2001, pp.99-101
This paper discusses the content and teaching materials of a two-week
medical humanities special studies module taken by third-year students at
the Royal Free & University College Medical School, London. The module
targets the nature of students' awareness and allows them to appreciate
aspects of doctors' and patients' experiences for which there are no
adequate medical terms.
Janes, Hilly. Art that comes straight out of your head. Daily Telegraph, 20
February 2002, p.25
Inspired by a brush with death that led to her being treated for a suspected
brain haemorrhage, artist Susan Aldworth, with the help of consultant
neuroradiologist Dr Paul Butler, now turns brain scans into artistic images.
An exhibition of her work, Between a Thing and a Thought, is on display at
the Royal London Hospital's Whitechapel gallery and will be displayed later
in the year at the Symposium Neuroradiologicum in Paris.
Kemp, Martin. Godwin's galaxies. Nature, vol.415, no.6873, 14 February 2002,
p.738
A review of Malcolm Godwin's illustrations in Stephen Hawking's book The
universe in a nutshell. Godwin's illustrations take up almost as much space
as the text and, through the wide range of techniques used, bear a vital
part of the communicative burden. These techniques range from images and
photographs, poetic evocations of concepts, illusionist tricks as well as
the more traditional graphs, diagrams and formulae.
Major, Lee Elliot. Art plus physics? Sheer chemistry. Guardian Education, 19
February 2002, pp.10-11
A new partnership has been established between the London Institute, the
umbrella body for five art and design colleges in London, and CERN, the
European organisation for nuclear research based in Geneva. The project,
called Signatures of the Invisible, involved twelve European artists
spending a year mingling with the scientists at CERN. The results of this
collaboration are on display at the Centre d'Art Contemporain in Geneva.
McCormick, Neil. Science sexed up. Daily Telegraph Arts & Books, 9 February
2002, p.1
The current popularisation of science in films and plays, such as The
Beautiful Mind and Proof, is helping to raise its profile among the public.
However, some scientists question just how much genuine understanding of
scientific concepts these dramatisations are able to achieve.
Articles - Science & Media
Check, Erika. Cloning agenda 'skewed' by media frenzy. Nature, vol.415,
no.6873, 14 February 2002, p.722
Scientists are becoming increasingly concerned that the debate over human
cloning is being influenced by reports of research which has not been
peer-reviewed. Researchers have denounced the media for printing unreviewed
claims, but have also conceded that scientists should not publicise work
that has not been peer-reviewed.
Crease, Robert. Horror stories that grow legs. Physics World, February 2002,
p.15
This article discusses the often sensational way that scientific stories are
represented in the media where facts may be exaggerated, distorted or even
falsified in an effort to make an interesting story. This is especially so
with stories that may revolve around some allegedly deadly threat to people,
animals or the environment. There is also an element of melodrama in this
style of reporting and scientists need to be more aware of the ways in which
these "horror stories" develop.
Fortun, Mike. Open reading frames: the genome and the media. After the Fact,
Summer 2001, pp.1, 4-7, 15
'Open reading frames', or ORFs, are those portions of the DNA sequence that
are expressed, very often in more than a single, simple, unified way. They
also require extensive annotation. Fortun draws parallels with the
complexity of ORFs and the complexities involved in reporting about the
domain of genomics in the media. After the Fact is available in pdf files
from the Institute for Science and Interdisciplinary Studies homepage at
http://isis.hampshire.edu
Articles - Science Education
Science ambassadors. Research Fortnight, vol.8.09, no.163, 13 February 2002,
p.5
The government has begun the task of recruiting its science and engineering
ambassadors. The objective is for the ambassadors to visit schools and
inspire young people about science and technology. The ambassadors will be
young people with science, technology, engineering and maths skills, working
in a range of different jobs.
De Baz, Theodora. The effectiveness of the Jigsaw cooperative learning on
students' achievement and attitudes toward science. Science Education
International, vol.12, no.4, December 2001 pp.6-11
This study examined the effectiveness of two teaching methods on students'
achievement and attitudes towards science. A control group of students was
taught in the traditional manner, while the Jigsaw cooperative learning
method was used with the experimental group. This method involves making
each student responsible for teaching some of the material to the rest of
the group. The findings showed that there was a statistically significant
difference between the two groups, with those students participating in the
Jigsaw method feeling a greater sense of achievement and having a more
positive attitude towards science than those in the control group.
Mort, Graham. When rhyme meets reason. TES, 8 February 2002, pp.26 & 29
Graham Mort was appointed writer-in-residence for a project called The
creative scientist, co-ordinated by the Belmont Arts Centre in Shrewsbury.
His objective was to work with children in classrooms to explore common
factors between science and poetry and to look at the use of creative
language in explaining science.
Articles- Science Museums & Science Centres
Glassborow, Richard. Just pointless gimmicks? Newheritage, 01.02, p.60
There are many who believe that interactive exhibits are little more than
gimmicks with limited informative value. However, Glassborow argues that
interactives that do not inform are simply the result of inappropriate
design. He also points out that interactivity is a relatively young
industry. There is still much to learn in the effort to facilitate good
design. This should not, however, detract from the enormous potential that
interactive exhibits have to be both informative and fun.
Houghton, Richard. Delivering value. Newheritage, 01.02, pp.29-30
Two new life sciences galleries, the Web of Life and the Human Body, have
recently been added to the Singapore Science Centre. The challenge for the
designers was to create exhibitions that illustrate complex human biological
processes in a way that is both entertaining and informative for a young
audience.
Peacock, Alan. Wow!!! - but. TES (Going places supplement), 8 February
2002, p.7
The author gives advice for teachers on making the most of interactive
centres. The key aspects are preparation, organisation and mediation.
Teachers should know what the centre has to offer and should have clear
objectives. Adults should be briefed on the objectives and should ask the
children questions. Organisation is key so that time is not wasted and
adults should mediate so that sensory experiences are shared.
Going Places supplement. TES, 8 February 2002, pp.10-23
Series of overviews of interactive centres around the United Kingdom
including Thinktank in Birmingham, Magna science centre in Sheffield and the
Glasgow Science Centre.
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