ESOF soundbites
“Our scientists are working like CSI detectives to combat nuclear terrorism.” … Read more
“Our scientists are working like CSI detectives to combat nuclear terrorism.” … Read more
Given that he has been a health minister in the UK, is still in politics and was addressing a science conference you might think that Norman Warner would obviously think scientists and politicians can be partners. Read more
Sir David King knows a thing or two about science policy. For seven years he was chief scientific advisor to the UK government, telling it what it needed to know (and a few things it would probably rather not have known) about everything from climate change to animal diseases. Read more
How can you scrutinise a scientific decision that has to remain secret? And if you can’t, how can you be sure the right decision has been taken? Read more
“The main decision is for a government to be extremely careful and respectful with the beliefs of the people; but at the same time making laws that help everyone.” … Read more
Science can be a great help for those fighting terrorism but there’s an unpleasant flipside to this, Sir Richard Mottram told ESOF this morning.
“There’s the awkward fact that lots of terrorists are scientists, engineers or doctors,” says Mottram, a former secretary of intelligence in the UK. “… You can’t have an open society and open science in the traditional way without running some very significant risks.”
Those looking at the logo of this year’s meeting might have noticed a rather large island missing from its stylised outline of Europe. Read more
In 2005 the European Commission produced a researchers’ charter. This voluntary code* is supposed to set out researchers’ rights and responsibilities. Read more
“This population explosion will present a series of interconnected challenges that are qualitatively different from those facing humanity at the start of the 20th century – ranging from food and energy security to increased terrorism and the impacts of climate change.” … Read more