It's never been too hard to find science in the news. Although newspapers and other media often put science-related stories deep in a middle section, the information about new discoveries and additions to the wealth of human knowledge has always been available.
More and more, however, science is pushing itself to the front page. This is not due to the breakthroughs scientists have been making, or the decision by editors that the populace must be informed. Rather, politicians have taken a greater and greater interest in the work of people in lab coats, and where politicians go, the media follows.
Stem cells. Cloning. Energy policy. Missile defense. Intelligent design. These formerly scientific investigations have ballooned into hot-button issues, and funding for important research projects has gone from a peer-review process to a process based upon the whims of the politicians in power.
This is not a good thing for science. Calling scientists to testify in front of committees and advisory boards wastes time they could be using to do, well, science. Where editorships to scientific journals are based upon work in the field, the appointments to federal scientific committees are based more and more upon political affiliation instead of scientific background.
On the heels of this grim outlook comes the news that scientists have decided to step into politics directly. This week, several eminent scientists with experience in the public realm created Scientists and Engineers for America, a group that, according to its website, is ""dedicated to electing public officials who respect evidence and understand the importance of using scientific and engineering advice in making public policy.""
Among the supporters of SEA are Nobel laureates Peter Agre and Martin Perl, along with Susan F. Wood, who resigned from the Food and Drug Administration in protest to the government's policy for Plan B contraception.
In short, SEA believes that politicians should resist that base impulse to poke their noses in and let the lab coats get back to work. While the formation of SEA should help free up researchers from political battles, the fact that it was necessary at all is a revealing look into our national psyche.
Keep the politicians working to improve our country, and let the scientists work to improve our country's knowledge.
Keaton Miller is a junior majoring in math and economics. While he claims he isn't a test-tube baby, several people have noticed the word ""Pyrex"" scarred into his chest. Give him a piece of your mind at keatonmiller@wisc.edu
