As usual the monthly round-up of P.U.S literature ...
PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF SCIENCE BIBLIOGRAPHY APRIL 1999
A monthly round-up of books, reports and articles collated by the
Wellcome Trust Information Service.
BOOKS AND REPORTS
Rossiter, L.
Institute of Grocery Distribution
Biotechnology factfile.
Subject heading(s): Biotechnology; Food - Biotechnology; Food -
Biotechnology - Public opinion; Food - Biotechnology - Moral and
ethical aspects
Watford: Institute of Grocery Distribution 1997 122pp
ISBN: 1898044309
A fact-file produced to provide a quick reference for non-technical
managers on the issues facing food biotechnology in the grocery
industry.
Chalmers, A. F.
What is this thing called science?
Subject heading(s): Science - Philosophy
Buckingham: Open University Press 1999 3rd edn. 266pp
ISBN: 0335201091
The third edition of a classic introductory textbook on the philosophy
of science.
Gieryn, T. F.
Cultural boundaries of science: credibility on the line.
Subject heading(s): Science - Social aspects; Science - Philosophy;
Science - Cross-cultural studies
Chicago: University of Chicago 1999 398pp
ISBN: 0226292614
This academic text looks at the philosophy and sociology of science and
asks: why is science credible?
Pearce, J.
Centres for curiosity and imagination: when is a museum not a museum?
Gulbenkian Foundation report
Subject heading(s): Children's museums
London: Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation 1998 144pp
ISBN: 0903319780
This report describes the growth of children's interactive museums in
the US and makes comparisons with the European scene. Case studies the
Eureka! Museum in Halifax.
Scanlon, E., Hill, R. and Junker, K. (eds.)
Communicating science: reader 1: professional contexts.
Subject heading(s): Communication in science; Science news
London: Routledge 1999 315pp
ISBN: 0415197511
A collection of articles dealing with communication between scientists.
Includes a chapter on 'Scientists communicating with other
professionals'.
ARTICLES-PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF SCIENCE
A very natural scientist
A profile of Professor Steve Jones, the self-deprecating geneticist 'who
may yet be seen as this century's Darwin'.
Independent on Sunday 11 April 1999 p.23
Double trouble: social analyses of the new human genetics
Anne Kerr, of Edinburgh University's Science Studies Unit, critically
reviews The Troubled helix: social and psychological implications of the
new genetics, edited by Teresa Marteau and Martin Richards, Cambridge:
CUP, 1996. Kerr argues that the book re-plays the traditional deficit
model of public understanding of human genetics, ignores the
relationship between genetics and eugenics and is lacking in
perspectives from the disabled community.
Science as Culture Vol. 8 No.1 March 1999 p.97-103
Lessons in risk
In the wake of the BSE inquiry and with the GM food debate still raging
the Consumer's Association argues: we need to take a precautionary
approach to developments in food science.
Health Which? April 1999 p.18-19
GM foods debate needs a recipe for restoring trust
An editorial, article and a briefing discuss the debate over the
production and labelling of genetically modified foods. The authors
state that the soundest possible science must underlie any effort to
regulate genetically modified foods, but regulations must also
acknowledge uncertainty and incorporate trust in the judgement of the
consumer.
Nature 398 22 April 1999 p.639, 641, 651-656
Lessons from GM potatoes
A letter from Professor Hugh Pennington, a governor of the Rowett
Research Institute, on GM potatoes and public knowledge. According to
Pennington the recent row over GM foods has highlighted three generally
misunderstood principles: the nature of scientific method, the limits
that attend the role of scientists in policy making, and the way in
which the media works.
Biologist Vol 46 No2 April 1999 p.51
On peers and fellows
Tom Wakeford, lecturer in the Faculty of Science and Health at the
University of East London, analyses the limitations of invoking the
peer-review process to quell public disquiet over scientific
controversies. Wakeford uses the recent row over GM technology to
illustrate his points.
Science & Public Affairs April 1999 p.29
Guardian Higher 27 April 1999 p.V
ARTICLES- PUBLIC ATTITUDES & PARTICIPATION
Let the people decide
John Durant, Director of Science Communication at The Science Museum,
discusses ways of "engaging the public and scientific community together
in a constructive process of technology assessment." The article makes
reference to the imminent government public consultation exercise on the
biosciences and other models of involving the public in decision-making
processes such as deliberative pools, citizen's juries and consensus
conferences.
Science & Public Affairs April 1999 p.24-25
Public openness
A letter suggests that the recent media interest in genetically-modified
food has been healthy. Open and public debate over scientific
controversies allow public attitudes to form.
Science 284 9 April 1999 p.261
Chaos-it's all in the chemistry
Steve Jones writes a piece on the recent SASOL Science Festival in
Grahamstown, South Africa. The week-long science event appealed to a
wide audience, however, socio-economic factors were significant in terms
of access and levels of participation: although the exhibits were
filled with black children, those in the talks, which charged entrance
fees, were mainly white'
Daily Telegraph 15 April 1999 p.20
ARTICLES-SCIENCE COMMUNICATION
For the record: Centre planned to help science communicate
The British Association and the Science Museum are planning to develop
an international centre for science communication in London. The centre,
supported by the United Nations' Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organisation, is intended to teach communication skills to scientists
world-wide.
THES 1379 9 April 1999 p.2
Life beyond the white coats
In the light of the recent confusion over genetically modified food, Dr.
Ian Gibson, Chairman of the Parliamentary Office of Science and
Technology argues that scientists will need PR training and have to
shake off their traditional reticence and emerge from their white coats
to lobby MPs and ministers.
Science & Public Affairs April 1999 p.30
ARTICLES-SCIENCE & ART
I think therefore I paint
An article reporting on a study of artists' thought processes, and the
way they move their hands and eyes. The results of the study are
described in an exhibition, The Painter's Eye, funded by the Wellcome
Trust, at the National Portrait Gallery.
Independent 16 April 1999 p.9
NESTA defines fellows
NESTA-the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts is
likely to reward interdisciplinary work bridging both science and the
arts.
THES 23 April 1999 p.4
ARTICLES-SCIENCE & ETHICS
Transplant panel to play 'honest broker'
A small group of academics and health officials are to meet in Canada to
discuss new ways of generating public debate on the risks and benefits
of the clinical application of xenotransplantation. The organisers hope
that this issue will serve as a testbed for the creation of an
international think-tank covering ethics, science and governance.
Nature 398 22 April 1999 p.643
The man to call on bioethics
A profile of Arthur Caplan, director of the Center of Bioethics at the
University of Pennsylvania, whose prominent public persona has
popularised bioethics in the United States.
The Chronicle of Higher Education 2 April 1999 p.A40-41
Student bioethics conference attracts big shots
An article discusses the first student-run national bioethics
conference, "Bioethics in the New Millennium", which took place at
Princeton University in February. Attended by 300 students, and many
eminent scientists and bioethicists, the conference was considered a
success and the efforts of the student organisers are praised.
The Scientist vol. 13 no.7 29 March 1999 p.1,6
ARTICLES-SCIENCE & MEDIA
There is nothing like a scare
Rob McKie, Science Editor of the Observer, writes on the alarmist press
coverage of Arpad Pusztai's work on the safety of genetically modified
potatoes. With the exception of The Financial Times, The Telegraph and
The Times, coverage was misinformed and biased towards the agendas of
environmental groups such as Greenpeace. McKie concludes: 'it was a grim
time for many science journalists'.
Science & Public Affairs April 1999 p.7
Casualties of the soap opera
A recent paper published in the BMJ demonstrated the mixed effects of
television medical dramas on the general public. Professor Christopher
Bulstrode, one of the researchers, asks: are we serving the public or
just frightening them?
Guardian Online15 April 1999 p.20
Mixed review seen for media coverage of gene research
An article on the mixed coverage of stem cell research in the US press
Science Writers: Newsletter of the NASW Vol.46 No.3 Winter 98-99 p.19
TV Asahi and the dioxin report stir up public anxieties
Although largely inaccurate, reports made by TV Asahi of dangerously
high levels of carcinogenic dioxins in vegetables have stimulated the
Japanese government into introducing sweeping new environmental clean-up
policies as a direct result of the health scare that the report sparked.
The Lancet 353 17 April 1999 p.1337
Perceptions of an alien culture?
An article examines how the general public's impression of scientists is
shaped by images in films and on television and asks: are the portrayals
realistic or is there friction with science fiction?
Chemistry and Industry 5 April 1999 p.259-261
What the magazines say
An article examines the range of popular science magazines in Europe.
Media Resource Service Newsletter March 1999 p.1-2
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All of the above items are available for reference in the Wellcome Trust
Information Service, or from the British Library, Lending Division via
your local library service. If you have any difficulties obtaining items
please contact me directly on the e-mail below.
Karen John-Pierre
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Wellcome Trust
Information Service
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Tel: + 44 (0) 171 611 8510
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