Earlier this year, the advent of the notion that there are alternative facts - courtesy of President Trump's adviser Kellyanne Conway - was a bracing escalation of the bird-brained proclamation by then-justice secretary Michael Gove during a televised debate a few weeks before the EU refere-ndum, that people in the UK "have had enough of experts".
The erosion of trust in institutions and expertise will not be a surprise to many scientists. Some national media organisations in the UK still run stories that actively promote scepticism in climate science, suggesting that researchers are massaging data to promote some nebulous agenda. These stories are opaque when it comes to explaining why anyone would want to exacerbate the ever-more alarming data about our oceans, forests and skies. The insinuation is that they are somehow doing so to get access to grants is the height of mendacity; no one enters the higher levels of scientific research to get rich.
Perhaps, in the world of alternative facts, it's possible that scientists from across the world meet weekly to advance the hoaxes and fantasies that they are to endorse in concert. In this illusory realm, research papers are skewed and data misinterpreted to advocate a set of beliefs that even the most delirious conspiracy theorist has yet to unravel.
Where is the leadership on these issues? It doesn't help that the UK government is too consumed by its own survival and the gargantuan task of Brexit to advance progressive policy, or that US institutions are fighting a rearguard action to survive the witless administration of a thin-skinned narcissist of epic, wilful ignorance, to grapple with mankind's most urgent issues.
Thankfully, entrepreneurs, public-sector workers, technologists, business leaders, investors, academics, designers, mayors – even corporates – are daring to dream big, solving problems related to sustainable energy, breakthroughs in medicine and making capital easier to access for entrepreneurs. Across the globe, dynamic individuals and organisations, some state-sanctioned, others scrappy and self-organised, some passionate amateurs, others renowned – forgive me – experts, are tackling the hard problems of security, energy and healthcare inequality to ensure a fairer, sustainable world.
In this issue, we are thrilled to celebrate expertise and fact in the form of some of the world's most respected scientists, from Neil deGrasse Tyson to Sandra Magnus. We asked what's most exciting them in science at the moment - and how best to combat scepticism about what they do. And who better to grace our cover than scientist Stephen Hawking who, despite his condition, will not be silenced?
Since we launched in 2009, the world has changed dramatically. This transformation will continue – it's the defining characteristic of our times – sometimes at a pace that we can barely comprehend. We'll continue to champion those who work for positive change, including the plucky amateurs turning passion projects into dial-shifting technologies; the entrepreneurs building services to circumvent incumbent intransigence; the scientists partnering with those in other disciplines to advance new treatments; the technologists designing platforms to make us safer. We'll celebrate the future, but we'll call bullshit when we need to (sorry, 3DTV) because the WIRED world is about how we can change what's around us for the better. We'll look to the future and tell inspiring stories in print, digital, podcasts, videos and events – and we'll never lose sight of the fact that we're living in momentous times with access to digital tools that enable all of us to make a positive impact. We very much hope to have you along for the ride – and the facts.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
