Guardian Science Weekly

What role should the public play in science? - Science Weekly podcast

Loading player...
There are concerns that a science journal may revise a paper amid pressure from activists. What role should the public play and should science have boundaries to protect its integrity? Ian Sample presents. Since publishing, we received complaints. We value this feedback and we would like to highlight: The intention was to look at the relationship between science and the public. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (aka. myalgic encephalomyelitis) was intended as an example of the broader theme The response from Cochrane’s Editor we quoted from a Reuters piece was a part inclusion of this statement The episode included two authors of the PACE trial. The trial is considered controversial and has received criticisms. It has not been retracted Since publishing, the complainant has been named by Cochrane. And the details of the complaints have been made publicly available. Read them here. Updated: 07/08/19
1 Nov 2018 English United Kingdom Science · Nature

Other recent episodes

Shrinking states: a positive future with fewer people?

The fertility rate in England and Wales has fallen for the third year in a row – a trend mirrored across the world, with two-thirds of the global population now living in countries with below-replacement-level fertility. In the second episode of a two-part series, Madeleine Finlay speaks to Dean Spears,…
10 Sep 16 min

Shrinking states: are we on a path to depopulation?

The fertility rate in England and Wales has fallen for the third year in a row. It is a story that is being repeated all over the world, with two thirds of the global population now living in countries with below replacement level fertility. Low fertility rates have become a…
8 Sep 19 min

Is curiosity the key to ageing well?

Psychologists have traditionally believed we become less curious as we age, but recent research has shown that curiosity actually becomes more targeted and specific in our later years. To find out why this happens, and how maintaining broad curiosity into older age can help keep our brains young, Madeleine Finlay…
3 Sep 16 min

RFK Jr and the chaos at the CDC

It’s been a dramatic week at the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In the space of seven days, the agency’s head was sacked and replaced by an interim head, four senior staff members resigned, and existing staff took to the streets to express support for their ousted…
1 Sep 17 min

‘AI psychosis’: could chatbots fuel delusional thinking?

There are increasing reports of people experiencing delusions after intensive use of AI chatbots. The phenomenon, dubbed ‘AI psychosis’, has raised concerns that features built into large language models may contribute to some users losing touch with reality. Madeleine Finlay speaks to Dr Hamilton Morrin, a psychiatrist and researcher at…
27 Aug 17 min
All episodes