Letters to the Editors, April/May 2005
On supporting science journalism
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Readers who tucked the December 2004 issue into their travel bags for the holidays could take an armchair tour of a wide assortment of topics and times. They could hike through new evidence about the 19th-century Anglo-French controversy over whose citizen-scientist discovered Neptune first; reflect on the cover story's very 21st-century question, "Are viruses alive?"; and take in culture by exploring whether or not 15th-century artists employed optical projections. Those preferring more exotic climes and times, say, the Cretaceous period, could track Arctic Alaskan dinosaurs.
December also featured the "Scientific American 50," which prompted Brian Miller of Woodland Hills, Calif., to write: "I sincerely want to thank all the outstanding minds who bring us these innovations. And thanks also to Scientific American for giving them the credit they so seldom receive."
It’s Time to Stand Up for Science
If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.
I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.
If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.
In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.
There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.
