Science and Society

SiS Obituary - Prof Joe Cummins
Standing up for Science to Save the World - Joseph Edward Cummins, Emeritus Professor of Genetics, died on 8 January 2016 at the age of 82 after a long battle with cancer. We have lost a great friend and colleague, a kind, gentle, and generous man with a quirky sense of humour, helpful to a fault; and above all, a scientist who fought fearlessly and effectively against the corruption of science in order to save the world. He was beloved and admired by all, not least by fellow science activists
ISIS 18th January 2016

Volkswagen & Others Cheat Because Regulators Are Toothless and Worse
Volkswagen has been caught cheating on emissions by a civil society organisation; it is not the first time that the motor industry have cheated, nor is it only the motor industry that cheats. Regulators are simply not protecting public health and interest
Prof Peter Saunders 26th October 2015

The Intelligent Person's Guide to Economics
There are at least 9 different schools of economics but neoclassical free-market ideology continues to dominate academia, even after massive failures
Prof Peter Saunders 14th January 2015

Sustainable Cities as Organisms - A Circular Thermodynamics Perspective
Universal scaling of biological rates with body mass is based on thermodynamics, but requires a circular thermodynamics based on coupled cycles of energy and material transformation, which applies also to sustainable systems including cities
Dr Mae-Wan Ho 29th September 2014

"Grand Unified Theory of Sustainability" for Cities?
To tackle urbanization, the most pressing problem of this century, theoretical physicist Geoffrey West is on a quest for a grand unified theory of sustainability based on universal scaling in biology and cities
Dr Mae-Wan Ho 3rd September 2014

Equality is Good for You
RG Wilkinson and KE Pickett. The Spirit Level: Why Equality is Better for Everyone. Penguin Books. Pp 349 £9.99. ISBN 978-0-141-03236-8.
Prof Peter Saunders 28th July 2014

Capitalism and the Inexorable Rise of Inequality
Review of T Piketty: Le capital au XXIe siècle. Paris, Éditions du Seuil, 2031. English translation by A Goldhammer: Capital in the Twenty-First Century, Cambridge MA, Belknap, 2014. 696 pp, £29.95. ISBN 9780674430006.
ISIS 23rd July 2014

Global Inequality and Its Ills
And What to Do About It. Inequality is bad for most people not just the poor, bad for business and political stability; and it can be cured
Prof Peter Saunders 21st July 2014

The Corruption of Science
Many are the ways in which the powers that be obstruct and obscure our paths to knowledge
Dr Nancy Swanson 19th May 2014

The Computer Aspires to the Human Brain
No, the computer will never work like a human brain, but it may inspire the computer industry to overcome the current bottleneck towards even faster and more efficient computers
Dr Mae-Wan Ho 14th March 2013

Liberating Science and Imagination
Science co-opted by big business endangers society and stultifies the imagination on which the advancement of science depends; liberating science and the imagination is top priority for the survival of people and planet
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 9th January 2013

Investment Banks & Financial Maths
Investment bankers are to blame for the credit crunch that has beggared nations, but what about financial mathematicians?
Prof. Peter Saunders and Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 1st May 2012

“Shut Down Wall Street!”
The money and banking system that has brought the world’s economy to its knees should be allowed to collapse in favour of an alternative that serves people and planet
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 12th December 2011

Golden Mean Wins Chemistry Nobel Prize
Quasicrystal structure based on the golden mean won Daniel Shechtman the 2011 Nobel Prize in Chemistry; Dr. Mae-Wan Ho finds out why it is a thing of beauty
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 7th November 2011

Mae-Wan Ho on Science and Democracy
Interview by Emma Hughes of Red Pepper magazine
ISIS 7th September 2011

Scientists Concerned For Academic Freedom
Open Letter to Premier of Western Australia
ISIS 20th November 2009

The Community Cooker Turns Rags to Riches
An extraordinary recycling project turns rubbish into energy and potentially transforms slums into resource rich communities
Sam Burcher 30th September 2009

Edward Goldsmith Pioneer of the Green Movement Dies Aged 80
Edward Goldsmith, founder and editor of The Ecologist (since 1970), lead author of A Blueprint for Survival (1972), founder of the Green Party, died peacefully in his sleep on 21 August 2009 at age 80.
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 31st August 2009

Towards a Biospheric Ethic
Modern moral philosophers have tended to study ethics in a void, ignoring the insights of the natural and human sciences. Some eminent scholars have sought to put this right; but based their ethical principles on a grossly distorted view of nature and human society, resulting in a ‘technospheric’ ethic that seeks to equate progress and the moral good with economic expansion and the dominance of man over nature. A new ‘biospheric’ ethic is required to mediate sustainable human behaviour in relationship to society, the ecosystem, the biosphere and the cosmos itself
Edward Goldsmith 31st August 2009

Why Civilisations Collapse
Modern society is technologically far superior to any that has gone before, we have all the means to head off the worst effects of climate change and adapt to those we cannot avoid. History tells us however that the most common reason societies collapse is not inadequate science or technology but failure to take the difficult decisions necessary for survival
Prof. Peter Saunders 29th July 2009

More than Banking Needs to Change
The events of the past year have led to many hard questions being asked about our financial system and ‘free market economy’
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho & Prof. Peter Saunders 12th May 2009

Financing Poverty
Taxpayer's money is being misused in the global financial crisis to rescuing those that have grown super-rich by draining the real economy, creating poverty, and fuelling the destruction of the earth. Time to replace the dominant model with a circular eco-economy that mimics nature.
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho and Prof. Peter Saunders 3rd November 2008

Prince Charles Speaks for the People and for Many Scientists Too
Prince Charles first spoke out against genetic modification in the 2000 Reith Lecture Respect for the Earth when he was viciously attacked by the scientific establishment; this was one of the very few articles defending him that got into the mainstream media and is just as relevant today as it was then
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 12th September 2008

Peer Review under the Spotlight
What matters most is the lack of public scrutiny rather than the lack of peer review in times of corporate corruption of science
Prof. Peter Saunders 20th May 2008

World Bank Climate Funds May Undermine ClimateTalks
NGOs concerned over the World Bank’s proposed US$7-12 billion portfolio of climate investment funds
Celine Tan 2nd April 2008

Letter to Nature Biotechnology: Systematic bias in favour of no adverse impacts from GM feed
Letter to Nature Biotechnology in response to the article defending the "new format" feature on Ermakova's findings of adverse health and reproductive impacts on rats fed genetically modified (GM) soya, and on the validity of the "scientific criticisms" of her work.
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 7th January 2008

Urgent Action Needed Against Pro-GM Abuse of Science and Scientist
Researcher and molecular biologist Christian Vélot, of the Institute of Genetics and Microbiology (a joint CNRS-University institute) at the Orsay Scientific Centre has lost his funding - we demand that Vélot and his group must be allowed to continue their independent research.
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 4th December 2007

The Importance of Being a Science Activist
I want to tell you how I became a science activist, not an activist scientist, but a scientist working for science because I am convinced of the importance of science
Dr.Mae-Wan Ho 4th October 2007

Confessions to a Serial Womaniser: Secrets of the World's Inspirational Women
In the first venture of its kind the book contains the wisdom of over 200 of the world's most dynamic women, who speak frankly about everything: their mothers, families, education, men, gurus, love, feminism, fairy stories, failures and successes.
Zerbanoo Gifford 6th August 2007

Happiness Is A Heartbeat Away
Our heartbeat betrays all our feelings good and bad, and feeling good may be the way to health and general well being
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 3rd August 2007

Gates Philanthropy in Stem Cell Transplant for Damaged Heart
Dr. Lilian Joensen exposes the Gates Foundation’s betrayal of public trust in Argentina
Dr. Lilian Joensen 1st August 2007

Philanthropy Gates Style
The world’s biggest philanthropic foundation is reaping huge profits investing in companies responsible for causing the problems it tries to solve; its grant-giving is also doing more harm than good in undermining health and agricultural systems, distorting national and global priorities, and preventing the necessary paradigm change that could help secure the future of the planet.
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 30th July 2007

Desk Top Drug Discovery
How a radical idea that molecules intercommunicate at long distances can speed up drug discovery and cut costs
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 8th February 2007

Liberating Knowledge
Manuscript prepared for Centre Europe Tiers Monde
Dr. Mae Wan Ho 22nd December 2005

Food Miles and Sustainability
What's behind the statistics and what should be done?
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho and Rhea Gala 21st September 2005

No to GM Smallpox!
Non-governmental organizations around the world are urging the World Health Organization to block a dangerous proposal that would allow the smallpox virus to be genetically engineered, and to ensure that remaining stocks of the virus are destroyed within two years
Lim Li Ching 2nd May 2005

Why Genomics Won't Deliver
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho called the human genome a 'big white elephant' when it was first announced. It is indeed turning out to be a useless idol robbing the public of investments that can really deliver health to the nation equitably and effectively
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 12th April 2005

Sustainable World - A Global Initiative
Please support this unique Global Initiative to make our food production system sustainable, to ameliorate climate change and guarantee food security for all
Independent Science Panel 6th April 2005

Science versus Democracy?
Professor Peter Saunders uncovers some uncomfortable truths about those who oppose democracy in science
Professor Peter Saunders 4th April 2005

Call on European Commission to Support Independent Science
Dozens of prominent scientists from all over the world are calling on the European Commission to support independent science in its next round of science funding, and to ensure maximum transparency and democratic input in deciding funding and research priorities.
Independent Science Panel 1st April 2005

No to Fluoridation
The "mass medication" of UK's drinking water with a listed poison will cost London's health authorities alone more than £21 million.
Sam Burcher 7th January 2005

Delivering Good Health Through Good Food
Prof. Henry Becker on the critical changes needed to avert the national health crisis
Prof. Henry Becker 15th July 2004

What's Wrong with Assisted Reproductive Technologies?
Assisted reproductive technologies are associated with a range of birth defects at least partly due to stresses experienced by germ cell and embryo during culture and storage
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 3rd November 2003

Farmers Want Review of Publicly-Funded Science
Independent and family farmers in the UK call for a new body to oversee publicly-funded science in place of the current funding council, to set priority for sustainable farming for Britain
Lim Li Ching 9th October 2003

The Independent Science Panel on GM Final Report
Dozens of prominent scientists from seven countries, spanning the disciplines of agroecology, agronomy, biomathematics, botany, chemical medicine, ecology, histopathology, microbial ecology, molecular genetics, nutritional biochemistry, physiology, toxicology and virology, joined forces to launch themselves as an Independent Science Panel on GM at a public conference, attended by UK environment minister Michael Meacher and 200 other participants, in London on 10 May 2003
ISIS 2nd June 2003

Michael Meacher At Launch of Independent Science Panel
UK Environment Minister Michael Meacher addressed an historic gathering at which dozens of prominent scientists launched themselves as an Independent Science Panel (ISP) to counteract what they see to be a concerted campaign by the government and the scientific establishment to promote genetic modification (GM) under the guise of sound science.
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 19th May 2003

Overriding Passion
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho reviews Behalf, by P.N. Furbank
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 22nd January 2003

Another Knowledge, Another World
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho reveals the origins of the discussion paper "Towards a Convention on Knowledge", and her hopes that "another science" may offer the key to "another possible world
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 13th November 2002

Nanotechnology, a Hard Pill to Swallow
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho attempts to separate hype from reality in nanotechnology''s vision for medicine, to help decide how the technology can improve our lives without compromising our dignity and freedom.
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 24th August 2002

The Brave New World Quartet
A quartet of corporate technologies is poised to take over the world. Dr. Mae-Wan Ho takes a peek at what''s in store.
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 23rd August 2002

Will Computers Become Super-Human?
Some computer-scientists are rewriting the creation myth to place computers at the pinnacle of creation. Will super-intelligent computers take over the world?
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 22nd August 2002

Say What?
The Social Construction of What? By Ian Hacking, Harvard University Press, 1999.
P.N. Furbank 30th June 2002

Freeing Scotland from GM
The Scottish Highlands community has been opposing their local GM field trial near Munlochy for the past two years. A constant vigil was set up at the site, which now forms the focus of a movement to free Scotland from GM
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho, Lim Li Ching and Nick Papadimitriou 4th March 2002

Is Framework VI Socially Accountable?
This important question is not even asked. But if it were, the short answer must be no. It is best at subsidising failed and failing corporate science and technologies not in the public interest
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 27th June 2001

Public Subsidy of Failed Corporate Science
The European Union is about to finalise Framework VI, its new funding programme for public research in member countries for the period 20022006
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 9th June 2001

Senior Scientist Dismissed for Defending Academic Standards
This is yet another blatant example of a university administration in bed with corporate business, and all too ready to sacrifice academic standards and academic freedom for commercial reasons
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 16th May 2001

Seeing Nature Whole
World Goodwill Seminar The Will to do Good Dispelling the Glamours of Our Times
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 28th October 2000

Prince Charles Speaks for the People - and Scientists Too
Prince Charles embarrassed the government and the scientific establishment with his Reith lecture broadcast on BBC Radio 4 last Thursday. In his wide ranging talk, which drew on the work of theologians, philosophers, scientists and economists, he said much that surely expressed the views of the majority in this country.
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 8th June 2000

The Need for Another Research Paradigm
International and national agricultural research is entrenched in a culture of top-down and often insensitive approaches to realities on the farm. This article highlights the mismatch between the transfer of technology model of agricultural research and the needs and livelihood strategies of the poor.
Michel Pimbert

The Organic Revolution in Science
Bioneers Conference, October 29-31, 1999, San Francisco
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho

Evolution
The following description of evolution concentrates on an approach that most connects with comparative psychology, and therefore differs from standard accounts, which readers may like to consult for a more general picture.
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho