New climate survey hopes to improve public understanding
There is an overwhelming consensus among scientists on the causes of climate change − with 97 percent agreeing that it is mainly the result of human activity. At the same time Americans question the agreement among scientists that global warning is a result of human actions.
Läs mer
Sipping science with a Science Café
Interested in setting up a science café? Then the new web-book, Sipping science with a science café, is for you. This 130-page book looks at every aspect of science cafés – the history, practicalities, challenges, expectations and impacts. It also takes a truly global view of science cafés, with many funny and moving examples of…
Läs mer
Science and Society: the New Frontier
The science-society relationship is a new frontier for science policy makers, says a new report from the European Science Foundation (ESF). A special members’ forum commissioned by ESF in 2010 reached its conclusions this summer with an in depth report calling for far-reaching strategy changes and actions within the Science and Society field.
Läs mer
Motivators for public engagement – ESOF round table
“Engagement should tap into a scientist’s core values”. “Bad engagement is worse than no engagement at all”. “The whole culture of science and society needs to be changed so each fully appreciates the other”.
Läs mer
Scientific Culture and its place in Swedish Society
Scientific culture in Sweden in relation to policy decisions and economic success is the subject of a new report by VA. Part of the EU-funded PLACES project, this report takes an in-depth look into how local and national policies have influenced science, research and innovation in Sweden today and over the last decades. Decisions taken…
Läs mer
An in-depth day on diabetes
In one of the world’s smallest countries, the island Nauru in the Southern Pacific, half the population suffers from diabetes. The Nauruans are the fattest people in the world. Cause? The high standard of living enjoyed as a result of the country’s wealth. This wealth was created through selling the country’s indigenous and highly-demanded natural…
Läs mer
RRI: the Future of Science and Society in Europe
Excellent science, competitive industries and a better society are the ambitious aims of Horizon 2020, the new European framework programme for research and innovation. With a budget of €80 billion, Horizon 2020 sets out to solve some of the most challenging problems facing European society. An obvious question for VA and many others is ‘how…
Läs mer
Lively discussion between the public and GMO researchers in Uppsala
Is it safe to eat genetically modified food? Does genetically modified food taste differently from ordinary food? Does wild and genetically modified salmon differ in appearance? These were a few questions discussed at a dialogue event on 7 December, organised by VA and Uppsala University. The public met with three GMO (genetically modified organisms) researchers who…
Läs mer
Asthma tests and research discussions attracted the public
How do I prevent my kids and myself from developing asthma? Is it something genetic? How can researchers and patients work together in order to find better treatments? These were a few questions discussed at a dialogue event on 19th October, organised by VA, the Karolinska Institutet and the Swedish Asthma and Allergy Association. The public…
Läs mer
Eternal life and the ethics of cloning – engaging topics for students and researchers
Could people be made smarter by injecting stem cells into their brains? Should humans be cloned? These were a few of the questions discussed when school students met with researchers at a dialogue event in Stockholm arranged by VA and Karolinska Institutet (KI, an medical university) on 12th October. Ola Hermanson and Johan Holmberg, two…
Läs mer
