Posted on behalf of Rex Dalton.

The gorgeous warm winter weather of Southern California greeted an expected 8,000 attendees in San Diego for this year’s meeting, where most scientific sessions begin Friday February 19. Along with workshops and clinics on various specialties, Thursday was dominated by press conferences that will begin a cycle of such things carrying issues of scientific import to the world. The theme of this year’s meeting is “Bridging Science and Society.” Fittingly, the press conferences heralding scientific symposia were on translational medicine, dolphins and their capabilities for human research; green power, the census of marine life, and nuclear weapons – both reductions and verification.

This is the first time the AAAS has ever ventured to San Diego, the closest previously was about 100 kilometres north to Anaheim in 1999. The San Diego region boasts one of the nation’s most enviable scientific communities: the University of California at San Diego, always top ranked in biomedical research; UCSD’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, a pioneer in marine research; San Diego State University, with a storied history of turning out undergraduates who have gone on to stellar academic careers; non-profit institutions like The Salk Institute for Biomedical Studies; and myriad biotech firms – both startups and established publicly traded firms – that make the region arguably the most envied biotech cluster.

But AAAS scientists also will see another side when they flop into their hotel beds tonight – if they watch the local television channel – which will feature a program that if true to form will cast as much doubt as possible on man-made global warming. The locally owned channel, KUSI, features a weatherman known for prior programs that must warm the hearts of greenhouse gas producers. At its website, bold headlines offer: “Global Warming: Meltdown,” along with highlights of the 9 p.m. Pacific time program where weatherman John Coleman talks of the “sinking Climate Change Cruise Ship.” The website also features prior reports here and here. They have garnered wide interest.

This shows how far the AAAS bridge will need to reach over a sea of delusion to bring science to society. And prominent local scientists – like SIO’s Richard Somerville, a theoretical meteorologist, knows how hard this will be. Somerville attempted to read an on-camera climate change statement to KUSI for an earlier program, but ended up with only a couple comments on the air. “Incensed” was the word he used today to describe the experience. KUSI called recently to engage a SIO scientist for tonight’s program, but the public affairs office says no scientist would do so given the prior escapade. Just off a plane from 10 days travel, speaking an all-day AAAS science literacy program today before even going home to see his family, Somerville says he wants nothing to do with those players again. For views on the past, see here and here.

When I came to San Diego in 1982 as a medical writer at the main newspaper, The San Diego Union, the medical/science/environment journalism community was far different. There also was the San Diego Evening Tribune, owned like the Union by the Copley family, and the San Diego Edition of the Los Angeles Times – which included dozens of high-quality reporters. The three publications had corps of specialty writers. We competed insanely in one of the great US newspaper wars – from which the community and science/medical coverage benefited greatly. I consider myself honored to have participated.

All that is gone now. The Times closed its San Diego Edition in about 1992, and itself now bounces in bankruptcy. The Union and Tribune merged competing editorial staffs shortly thereafter. Then the combined Union-Tribune was sold about two years ago in a fire-sale deal focused on real estate. The staff since has been decimated to where science coverage is largely of the press-release variety. When I left for Nature in 1999 to be its West Coast Correspondent based in San Diego, i never would I have guessed of such a fall from journalistic grace. AAAS bridge makers have their work cut out for them.

Posted on behalf of Rex Dalton.

The gorgeous warm winter weather of Southern California greeted an expected 8,000 attendees in San Diego for this year’s meeting, where most scientific sessions begin Friday February 19. Along with workshops and clinics on various specialties, Thursday was dominated by press conferences that will begin a cycle of such things carrying issues of scientific import to the world. The theme of this year’s meeting is “Bridging Science and Society.” Fittingly, the press conferences heralding scientific symposia were on translational medicine, dolphins and their capabilities for human research; green power, the census of marine life, and nuclear weapons – both reductions and verification.

This is the first time the AAAS has ever ventured to San Diego, the closest previously was about 100 kilometres north to Anaheim in 1999. The San Diego region boasts one of the nation’s most enviable scientific communities: the University of California at San Diego, always top ranked in biomedical research; UCSD’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, a pioneer in marine research; San Diego State University, with a storied history of turning out undergraduates who have gone on to stellar academic careers; non-profit institutions like The Salk Institute for Biomedical Studies; and myriad biotech firms – both startups and established publicly traded firms – that make the region arguably the most envied biotech cluster.

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