Sense about Science
{{short description|British non-profit organisation}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Sense about Science
| image = Sense about Science logo.jpg
| caption =
| founder = Lord Taverne
| type = Charitable trust No.[https://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/CharityWithPartB.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=1146170&SubsidiaryNumber=0 1146170]
| vat_id =
| registration_id =
| founded_date = 2002
| location = London, Brussels, Dublin
| coordinates =
| origins =
| key_people = {{Ubl|Jonathan Brüün (Chair){{Cite web|url=https://senseaboutscience.org/who-we-are/board-of-trustees/|title=Board of trustees – Sense about Science|date=14 September 2016 |access-date=21 September 2020}}|Tracey Brown (Director){{Cite web |title=Tracey Brown OBE |date=30 August 2016 |url=https://senseaboutscience.org/team/tracey-brown/ |publisher=Sense about Science |access-date=2019-08-24 }}}}
| area_served = Europe
| products =
| services =
| focus =
| method =
|revenue_year=2018
| endowment =
|volunteers_year=2018
|employees_year=2018
| num_members =
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| former name =
| homepage = {{URL|https://www.senseaboutscience.org|senseaboutscience.org}}
| dissolved =
}}
Sense about Science is a United Kingdom charitable organization that promotes the public understanding of science. Sense about Science was founded in 2002 by Lord Taverne, Bridget Ogilvie and others to promote respect for scientific evidence and good science. It was established as a charitable trust in 2003, with 14 trustees, an advisory council and a small office staff. Tracey Brown has been the director since 2002.
The organisation works with scientists and journalists to put scientific evidence in public discussions about science, and to correct unscientific misinformation.[https://www.senseaboutscience.org/pages/workshops.html Sense About Science 'Voice of Young Science' workshop], "Ellen Raphael talked about Sense about Science, discussing projects and the ways we correct misinformation with examples from the last five years." They encourage and assist scientists to engage in public debates about their area of expertise, to respond to scientifically inaccurate claims in the media, to help people contact scientists with appropriate expertise, and to prepare briefings about the scientific background to issues of public concern.
Projects
Sense about Science publishes guides to different areas of science in partnership with experts. These include: Responsible Handover Framework,{{Cite web |date=2024-07-05 |title=Responsible Handover of AI - Sense about Science |url=https://senseaboutscience.org/responsible-handover-of-ai/ |access-date=2024-10-08 |language=en-GB}} Data Science: A Guide for Society,{{Cite web |date=2023-01-30 |title=Data Science: A Guide for Society - Sense about Science |url=https://senseaboutscience.org/guides/data-science/ |access-date=2024-10-08 |language=en-GB}} Making Sense of Nuclear,{{Cite web |date=2017-06-27 |title=Making Sense of Nuclear - Sense about Science |url=https://senseaboutscience.org/activities/making-sense-of-nuclear/ |access-date=2024-10-08 |language=en-GB}} Making Sense of Uncertainty,{{cite web |title=Making Sense of Uncertainty {{!}} The University of Manchester |url=https://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/article/?id=10295 |website=www.manchester.ac.uk |access-date=2015-11-17 }} Making Sense of Allergies,{{cite web|url = https://www.allergyuk.org/blog/blog/post/200-sense-about-science-making-sense-of-allergies|title = Making Sense of Allergies|website = Allergy UK}} Making Sense of Drug Safety Science,{{cite web|title = Making sense of drug safety science|url = https://www.mrc.ac.uk/news/browse/making-sense-of-drug-safety-science/|website = www.mrc.ac.uk|date = 2014-03-04|accessdate = 2015-11-17|first = Medical Research Council|last = MRC}} Making Sense of Testing, {{Cite web |date=2017-02-02 |title=Making Sense of Testing - Sense about Science |url=https://senseaboutscience.org/activities/making-sense-of-testing/ |access-date=2024-10-08 |language=en-GB}} Making Sense of Crime,{{cite web |title=Making sense of crime after an election full of crime fiction {{!}} The Alliance for Useful Evidence |url=https://www.alliance4usefulevidence.org/making-sense-of-crime-in-and-election-full-of-crime-fiction/ |website=www.alliance4usefulevidence.org |access-date=2015-11-17 }} Making Sense of Statistics,{{cite web |title=Making Sense of Statistics {{!}} Straight Statistics |url=https://straightstatistics.fullfact.org/resources/making-sense-statistics |website =straightstatistics.fullfact.org |access-date=2015-11-17 }} Making Sense of Screening{{cite web |title=Making Sense of Screening - Testing Treatments interactive |url=https://www.testingtreatments.org/2015/10/12/making-sense-of-screening/ |website=Testing Treatments interactive |date=12 October 2015 |access-date=2015-11-17 }} and Making Sense of GM.{{cite web|title = Making Sense of GM {{!}} John Innes Centre|url = https://www.jic.ac.uk/news/2009/02/making-sense-of-gm/|website = www.jic.ac.uk|accessdate = 2015-11-17}}
Sense about Science runs the Voice of Young Science programme to help early career scientists engage in public debates.
Since its founding, Sense about Science has contributed to UK public debates about such subjects as alternative medicine, "detoxification" products and detox diets, genetically modified food, avian influenza, chemicals and health, "electrosmog", vaccination, weather and climate, nuclear power, and the use and utility of peer review.{{Cite web |date=2021-09-10 |title=Peer Review: the nuts and bolts - Sense about Science |url=https://senseaboutscience.org/activities/peer-review-the-nuts-and-bolts-2/ |access-date=2024-10-08 |language=en-GB}}{{cite web |url=https://www.senseaboutscience.org/pages/health-and-medicine.html |title=Health & Medicine |publisher=Sense About Science |access-date=2012-06-01 }} Sense about Science encourages scientists to explain to the public the value of peer review in determining which reports should be taken seriously. Director Tracey Brown describes such critical thinking as crucial to preventing public health scares based on unpublished information.{{Cite journal |
last = Butler
| first = Declan
| year = 2004
| title = Academics seek to cast peer review as a public service
| journal = Nature
| volume = 430
| issue = 6995
| page = 7
| doi = 10.1038/430007b
|
pmid = 15229573| bibcode = 2004Natur.430....7B
| doi-access = free
}}
Causes
= AllTrials =
{{main|AllTrials}}
The AllTrials campaign calls for all past and present clinical trials to be registered and their full methods and summary results reported.{{cite web|title = What does all trials registered and reported mean?|url = http://www.alltrials.net/find-out-more/all-trials/|website = AllTrials|accessdate = 2015-11-17}}AllTrials campaign. 2017. Alltrials Roadmap http://www.alltrials.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/AllTrials-Roadmap.pdf
AllTrials is an international initiative of Bad Science, BMJ, Centre for Evidence-based Medicine, Cochrane Collaboration, James Lind Initiative, PLOS and Sense About Science and is being led in the US by Sense About Science USA, Dartmouth's Geisel School of Medicine and the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice.{{cite web|title = All Trials Registered. All Results Reported|url = http://www.alltrials.net/|website = AllTrials|accessdate = 2015-11-17}}
As of January 2018, the AllTrials petition has been signed by 91,989 people and 737 organisations.
= Ask for Evidence =
Ask for Evidence was launched by Sense About Science in 2011. It is a campaign that helps people request for themselves the evidence behind news stories, marketing claims and policies. When challenged in this way, organisations may withdraw their claims or send evidence to support them. The campaign is supported by more than 6000 volunteer scientists who are available to review the evidence provided and determine whether it supports the original claim or story.{{cite web|title=Episode #020, feat. Chris Peters|url=https://soundcloud.com/user-721155342/theesp-ep-020-chris-peters#t=00:00|website=The European Skeptics Podcast|accessdate=29 August 2017}} The campaign has received funding from The Wellcome Trust{{cite web|title = Empowering people to 'Ask for Evidence'|url = http://blog.wellcome.ac.uk/2015/10/13/empowering-people-to-ask-for-evidence/|website = Wellcome Trust Blog|accessdate = 2015-11-17|first = Kate Arkless|last = Gray}} and is endorsed by figures such as Dara Ó Briain{{cite web|title = Ask for Evidence {{!}} Dara Ó Briain, performer|url =https://askforevidence.org/articles/dara-o-briain-performer |website=Ask for Evidence |access-date=2015-11-17 }} and Derren Brown.{{cite web |title=Ask for Evidence {{!}} Derren Brown, illusionist |url=https://askforevidence.org/articles/derren-brown-illusionist |website=Ask for Evidence |access-date=2015-11-17 }}
= Keep Libel Laws Out of Science =
Sense About Science launched the Keep Libel Laws out of Science campaign in June 2009[https://www.senseaboutscience.org/pages/keep-libel-laws-out-of-science.html Sign up now to keep the libel laws out of science!] Sense About Science in defence of a member of its board of trustees,[https://www.senseaboutscience.org/pages/board-of-trustees.html Board of Trustees], Sense About Science. author and journalist Simon Singh, who has been sued for libel by the British Chiropractic Association. They issued a statement entitled "The law has no place in scientific disputes",[https://www.senseaboutscience.org/pages/the-world-conference-of-science-journalists.html "The law has no place in scientific disputes"], Sense about Science. which was signed by many people representing science, medicine, journalism, publishing, arts, humanities, entertainment, sceptics, campaign groups and law. In April 2010, the BCA lost this case{{cite news |url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-libel/science-writer-wins-fair-comment-libel-appeal-idUKTRE63018820100401 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181024073843/https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-libel/science-writer-wins-fair-comment-libel-appeal-idUKTRE63018820100401 |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 October 2018 |work=Reuters |title=Science writer wins "fair comment" libel appeal |first=Michael |last=Holden |date=2010-04-01 |access-date=2019-08-24 }} with the court accepting that criticism of the BCA concerning its promotion of bogus treatments was fair comment.
In December 2009, Sense About Science, Index on Censorship and English PEN launched the Libel Reform Campaign.{{cite web |title=Launch of the Libel Reform Campaign · Sense about Science |url=https://www.senseaboutscience.org/pages/launch-of-the-libel-reform-campaign.html |website=www.senseaboutscience.org |access-date=2015-11-17 }} The Defamation Act 2013 received Royal Assent on 25 April 2013 and came into force on 1 January 2014.
The Trust actively campaigns in support of various causes. It has issued a statement signed by over 35 scientists[https://www.senseaboutscience.org.uk/docs/VOYSlettertoWHO.doc Letter to WHO, signed by at least 35 scientists], Sense About Science asking the WHO to condemn homeopathy for diseases such as HIV.Sample, Ian (1 June 2009).[https://www.theguardian.com/science/2009/jun/01/world-health-organisation-homeopathy-hiv "British scientists ask WHO to condemn homeopathy for diseases such as HIV"]. The Guardian (London).
Reception
Sense about Science and their publications have been cited a number of times in the popular press,{{cite news
| first=Tracey
| last=Brown
| title=Making Sense of Science
| date=25 November 2005
| url =https://www.the-scientist.com/opinion-old/making-sense-of-science-48114
| work =The Scientist
| title=OFT: Chocolate does not help you lose weight
| date=20 February 2009
| url =https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/4702228/OFT-Chocolate-does-not-help-you-lose-weight.html
| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20090224215000/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/4702228/OFT-Chocolate-does-not-help-you-lose-weight.html
| url-status =dead
| archive-date =24 February 2009
|work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London }}
most notably for encouraging celebrities and the public to think critically about scientific claims,{{cite news
| first=Alokh
| last=Jha
| title=Evil genes and antifreeze: TV gurus' toxic talk put under the microscope
| date=3 January 2008
| url =https://www.theguardian.com/science/2008/jan/03/sciencenews.pseudoscience
|work=The Guardian |location=London }}{{cite news
| first=Mark
| last=Henderson
| title=Celebrities told to embrace the facts, not bad science
| date=3 January 2007
| url =http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article1288809.ece
|work=The Times |location=London }}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
criticizing marketing unsupported by research,{{cite news
| first=Anna
| last=Fazackerley
| title=Scientists told to enlighten the confused
| date=4 November 2005
| url =http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=199491§ioncode=26
| work =Times Higher Education
| location = London}}{{cite news
| first=James
| last=Randerson
| title=Food and health firms taken to task by science's 'warriors against claptrap'
| date=10 October 2007
| url =https://www.theguardian.com/science/2007/oct/10/consumerpages.foodanddrink
|work=The Guardian |location=London }}{{cite news
| title = Prince Charles detox 'quackery'
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7934568.stm
|work=BBC News
| location = London
| date = 10 March 2009
}}
decrying the unsubstantiated claims of homeopathy,{{cite news | title=Scientists attack homeopathy move
| date=25 October 2006
| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6085242.stm
|work=BBC News }}{{cite news
| title=Homeopaths under fire over tropical treatments
| date=22 July 2006
| url =https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19125613.100-homeopaths-under-fire-over-tropical-treatments.html
| work =New Scientist | location = London }}
supporting genetically modified crops,{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article5944685.ece
|title=Why we need GM crops
|last=Henderson
|first=Mark
|date=21 March 2009
|work=The Times |location=London }}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
criticising "do-it-yourself" health testing,{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1581374/Do-it-yourself-test-kits-could-put-health-at-risk.html
|title=Do-it-yourself test kits 'could put health at risk'
|last=Fleming
|first=Nic
|date=16 March 2008
|work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London }}{{cite news
|url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19726473.400-disease-forecasts-may-be-bad-for-your-health.html
|title=Disease forecasts may be bad for your health
|date=18 March 2008
|work=New Scientist|
location=London}}
denouncing detox products,{{cite news
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7808348.stm
|title=Scientists dismiss 'detox myth'
|date=5 January 2009
|work=BBC News }}{{cite news
|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/products-offering-an-easy-detox-are-a-waste-of-time-1225809.html
|title=Products offering an easy detox 'are a waste of time'
|last=Kirby
|first=Jane
|date=5 January 2009|work=The Independent |location=London }}
warning against "miracle cures",{{cite news
|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/warning-over-online-miracle-cures-1008091.html
|title=Warning over online 'miracle cures'|
last=Rayner
|first=Tom
|date=10 November 2008
|work=The Independent |location=London }}{{cite news
|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/3414763/Patients-warned-over-online-miracle-cure-claims.html
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090122012538/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/3414763/Patients-warned-over-online-miracle-cure-claims.html
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=22 January 2009
|title=Patients warned over online 'miracle cure' claims
|last=Moore
|first=Matthew
|date=10 November 2008
|work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London }}
and promoting public understanding of peer review.{{cite news
| title=Peer review key to trust in science
| date=25 June 2004
| url =http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=189599§ioncode=26
| work =Times Higher Education |location = London }}
They have received positive coverage in publications from the Royal Society{{cite news
| title=Science in the News – Wednesday 10 October 2007
| publisher=Royal Society
| url =http://royalsociety.org/news.asp?year=&id=7193
| work =Science in the News
| location= London
| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080609121758/http://royalsociety.org/news.asp?year=&id=7193
| archivedate=9 June 2008}}
and the U.S. National Science Foundation,{{cite book
|author = National Science Foundation (official report)
|title = Science and engineering indicators 2006
|chapter = Science and Technology: Public Attitudes and Understanding
|url = https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind06/c7/c7s2.htm#sb2
|location = Arlington, Va., U.S.A.
|year = 2006
|url-status = dead
|archiveurl = https://wayback.archive-it.org/5902/20150818094952/https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind06/c7/c7s2.htm#sb2
|archivedate = 18 August 2015}}
and in the writings of scientists such as Ben Goldacre[http://www.badscience.net/2006/09/newsnightsense-about-science-malaria-homeopathy-sting-the-transcripts/ Ben Goldacre's BadScience.net] "Sense About Science have very kindly given me the transcripts from their excellent Malaria and homeopathy sting from last month" and Steven Novella.{{cite news
| first=Steven
| last=Novella
|publisher= The New England Skeptical Society
|authorlink= Steven Novella
| title=Sense About Science
| date=10 November 2008
| url =http://www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=415
| work =Neurologica }}
Lord Taverne, chairman of Sense About Science, has criticised campaigns to ban plastic bags as counter-productive and being based on "bad science".{{cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article3508263.ece |title=Series of blunders turned the plastic bag into global villain |last=Mostrous |first=Alexi |date=2008-03-08 |work=Times Online |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080313022636/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article3508263.ece |archive-date=2008-03-13 }}
Anti-genetic-modification campaigners and academics have criticised Sense About Science for what they view as a failure to disclose industry connections of some advisers,{{cite news
| first=Zoë
| last=Corbyn
| title=Charity guide criticised for not declaring GM interests
| date=19 February 2009
| url =http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=405427&c=1
| work =Times Higher Education | location =London }}
and Private Eye reported that it had seen a draft of the Making Sense of GM guide that included Monsanto Company's former director of scientific affairs as an author.{{cite news
|title=Books and Bookmen
|date=20 March 2009
|work=Private Eye 1232
|location =London}}
Tracey Brown, managing director of Sense About Science, rebutted these claims on the Science about Science website.{{cite web
|title=Response from Tracey Brown, Managing Director of Sense About Science, to the article by Zoe Corbyn "Charity guide criticised for not declaring GM interests: Sense About Science pamphlet failed to list contributors' links with industry".
|date=31 March 2009
|author= Tracey Brown
|url=http://www.senseaboutscience.org/news.php/70/making-sense-of-gm-responses}}
Homeopath Peter Fisher criticised Sense About Science, who have been working closely with NHS primary care trusts on the issue of funding for homeopathy, for being funded by the pharmaceutical industry; Sense About Science responded in a statement to Channel 4 News that "Peter Fisher's desperate comments show about as much grasp of reality as the homeopathic medicine he sells."{{cite news|
url=http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/society/health/uncomplementary+homeopathy/831062
|title=Uncomplementary Homeopathy
|last=MacDonald
|first=Victoria
|date=21 September 2007
|work=Channel 4 News
|location=London
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705162800/http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/society/health/uncomplementary+homeopathy/831062
|archivedate=5 July 2008}}
A 2016 piece in The Intercept was critical of Sense About Science's data on and support for flame retardant chemicals.{{cite news |last1=Gross |first1=Liza |title=How Self-Appointed Guardians of "Sound Science" Tip the Scales Toward Industry |url=https://theintercept.com/2016/11/15/how-self-appointed-guardians-of-sound-science-tip-the-scales-toward-industry/ |accessdate=2 July 2020 |publisher=The Intercept |date=15 November 2016}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20081120182246/http://www.littleatoms.com/traceybrown.htm Interviews with Tracey Brown on Little Atoms], the official podcast of The Skeptic magazine, on Resonance FM
- Alan Sokal [https://www.theguardian.com/science/audio/2008/mar/03/alan.sokal.podcast giving the 2008 Sense About Science lecture]
- [https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/jan/05/sense-about-science-celebrity-observations "Sense About Science", The Guardian, 5 January 2010]
- Tracey Brown, What would a ‘super-majority’ government mean for parliamentary scrutiny?[https://www.politics.co.uk/comment/2024/06/29/what-would-a-super-majority-government-mean-for-parliamentary-scrutiny/#:~:text=Most%20small%20parties%20at%20Westminster%20have%20committed%20to%20ensuring%20the]
{{Science and the public}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Educational charities based in the United Kingdom
Category:Health in the London Borough of Camden
Category:Organisations based in the London Borough of Camden
Category:Organizations established in 2003
Category:Public relations companies of the United Kingdom
Category:Science advocacy organizations
Category:Science policy in the United Kingdom
Category:Scientific organisations based in the United Kingdom