▼ Summary
– The book *Science Under Siege* was written by climate scientist Michael Mann and vaccine developer Peter Hotez to address major threats to science.
– The authors argue that science is currently under attack from powerful forces, creating a grim backdrop for their work.
– Michael Mann is known for creating the “hockey stick graph” showing a sharp rise in global temperatures since 1900.
– Peter Hotez led the development of a low-cost, patent-free COVID-19 vaccine that was distributed to millions in India and Indonesia.
– Both authors have faced significant harassment and death threats for their scientific advocacy and public service.
We find ourselves deep into the first quarter of the 21st century, a period increasingly defined by the very environmental crises long foreseen by scientific research. Summers now bring a relentless cycle of flash floods, severe droughts, and uncontrollable wildfires, while public health officials sometimes question the very tools designed to save lives. In this climate of uncertainty, misinformation spreads rapidly, amplified by new technologies. It is within this challenging context that two prominent scientists have joined forces to author a critical new book.
Science Under Siege: How to Fight the Five Most Powerful Forces That Threaten Our World represents a collaboration between Michael E. Mann, a leading climate scientist, and Peter J. Hotez, a renowned microbiologist and vaccine developer. Mann is famous for creating the influential “hockey stick” graph in 1998, which vividly illustrated the dramatic and unprecedented rise in global temperatures since the industrial revolution. Hotez led a team that developed an affordable, patent-free COVID-19 vaccine, which was successfully distributed to millions in India and Indonesia without pharmaceutical company involvement.
Neither scientist set out to become a public defender of their profession. They expected to focus on their research, not to find themselves on the front lines of a cultural battle over truth. Yet both have faced intense opposition, including condemnation from political figures and even personal threats, simply for advocating for evidence-based solutions. Their new work draws from these difficult experiences, aiming to transform their hard-won knowledge into a powerful call to action for protecting science itself.
(Source: Ars Technica)
