Knowledge is forged in the laboratory, but before it reaches the people, it passes through mediators—the government, the media and the scientific establishment—each with its own agenda.
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In this special report, we expose an insidious practice of manipultion of news in the U.S. government and elsewhere; a culture of silence that discourages scientists from speaking out about their work; and the disconnect between what scientists do and what the public hears about.
Federal agencies in the U.S. are using so-called close-hold embargoes and other methods to gain control of the journalists who cover them [see “How to Spin the Science News”].
A comparison of data on the institutions that produce the most high-quality scientific research with the studies that get the most press reveals a big gap [see “What Science Is Buzzworthy?”].
Scientists have long faced institutional pressures that discourage them from speaking out directly to the public. That may be starting to change [see “The Plight of the Celebrity Scientist”].
It’s Time to Stand Up for Science
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