David HoMay 13, 2025

I've heard colleagues say that the solution to what's happening to American science is for scientists to communicate the value of science better. That's false. Trump is doing a lot of unpopular things, including destroying the science enterprise. What's happening is not our fault.

Most people believe in the values of democracy, but those values are being assaulted by this administration every day. 1/2

Show threadDavid HoMay 13, 2025
Still, scientists should engage more publicly. And it would be great if the public realizes that science isn't just something nerds do, but the foundation of modern society. 2/2
Show threadMidniteMikeWrites

@davidho Does anyone actually believe this is a failure of scicomms, or are people just looking for agency to seek normalcy/control in the face of the dismantling of the civil state?

We live in a low-trust environment now. Science has been politicized because people see scientists as moralizing (masking, vaccines, renewables) because there is money in making people believe so. As long as this is the case science can’t be conveyed on the merits. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20160105-the-man-who-studies-the-spread-of-ignorance

The man who studies the spread of ignorance

How do people or companies with vested interests spread ignorance and obfuscate knowledge? Georgina Kenyon finds there is a term which defines this phenomenon.

BBC
May 13, 2025 at 5:22pmWeb