Dear Mr. President-Elect: In January, when you take the Oath of Office, you will face difficult choices. As you well know, your decisions will have a profound impact on domestic and international affairs for years to come. You’ll be hearing many and often contradictory opinions on issues of science and technology. I urge you to listen carefully to advice from all quarters. The science agenda of the nation is too important to be neglected. Special attention to science and technology is

Turn to the “Tools” or “New Products” pages of The Scientist and you will discover splendid state-of-the-art instruments, many of which carry rather hefty price tags. It’s hard not to notice that the cost of doing science has been rising precipitously. The reason? For one, scientific investigations are increasingly more detailed or far-reaching, requiring more complex and powerful instruments. Many universities and companies in the U.S. can afford the latest equip

In the last issue of The Scientist, Morris H. Shamos, emeritus professor of physics at New York University, cast a cold eye on the concept of scientific literacy. He argued that a more reasonable goal in educating nonscientists about science might be science appreciation. Like music and art appreciation, science appreciation might be fostered without requiring the mastery of technical details that experts need to know. Furthermore, Shamos noted, the appreciation of science by a large segment of

Not long ago I received an anonymous letter from a foreign-born scientist who has been working in the United States as a postdoctoral feilow for the past two years. He claims to have worked very hard, night and day, and has, he says, performed to the standards of his fellow postdocs. But his situation was not good. The professor in charge of the lab, he writes, abused his power and was dishonest. He is said to have routinely stolen ideas from the grant proposals of others and directed his g

Among the myriad political races in the United States this election season, one in particular has captured my interest. It is not the presidential contest between Vice President Bush and Governor Dukakis, nor is it any widely publicized, high-profile battle for governor or senator in a major state—contests that might be expected to receive the attention of the national media. Rather, it is a primary race for the U.S. Senate, as yet unnoticed by the national press, in the nation's smallest

Max Perutz observes in this issue that “many young scientists work too much and read and think too little” (page 11). And I agree. It’s not just a matter of spending too much time at the lab bench; it is also too much time taken to write grant proposals, review those of others, serve on committees, and perform many other activities. While these tasks, taken individually, may be necessary and even worthwhile, too many can dramatically cut into the time spent thinking about o

A certain amount of error in science is inevitable; in fact, the correction of errors and the retraction of incorrect or premature conclusions is expected as part of the normal process and progress of science. Errors come in many varieties. Scientists, like everyone can be careless or inattentive. Such errors are preventable. But there are other errors that scientists make that are almost unavoidable, as when a conclusion, based on accurate experiments and current knowledge, is later shown to

The handwriting for the future of federal science funding is on the wall, and Frank Press has read it as well as anybody. In his April 26th speech, the National Academy of Sciences president uttered publicly what many have acknowledged privately. The United States cannot afford to pursue at full tilt its Big Science agenda—the superconducting supercoilider, the human genome project, the space station—without cutting into support for the legions of individual investigators represe

When It Comes To Awards, Just Say Yes Few awards in science, outside the Nobel prizes, are as distinguished as the Crafoord Prize. Yet, until perhaps last month, many in the science community knew relatively little about it. Established in 1981 by Anna-Greta and Holger Crafoord, chairman of the medical supply company Gambro AB, the Crafoord Prize is intended to reward outstanding achievement in areas of science not recognized by the Nobels. On a rotating basis, the award is given annually t

This issue of The Scientist is clearly different from those of the past. The newspaper is growing, both expanding its range of features and sharpening its focus. The new look, new coverage, and new features are a direct response to your suggestions. From its inception, The Scientist has kept you informed about important developments on the science policy scene. A glance at this issue will show that we are continuing our commitment to bring you incisive and timely reporting on policy decisi

Las Vegas is perhaps not the first city that comes to mind when one thinks of a meeting place for scientists. Yet that is where the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) is holding its annual convention this week. Upon reflection, however, it seemed more appropriate than I had first thought for scientists to gather in a city that epitomizes chance and the good fortune it sometimes brings. The vision I held of gaming tables, roulette wheels and one-armed bandits put