BBC Horizon 2011: 5/7 Science Under Attack

Original Broadcast January 24 2011
Nobel Prize winner Sir Paul Nurse examines why science appears to be under attack, and why public trust in key scientific theories has been eroded - from the theory that man-made climate change is warming our planet, to the safety of GM food, or that HIV causes AIDS.

He interviews scientists and campaigners from both sides of the climate change debate, and travels to New York to meet Tony, who has HIV but doesn't believe that that the virus is responsible for AIDS.

This is a passionate defence of the importance of scientific evidence and the power of experiment, and a look at what scientists themselves need to do to earn trust in controversial areas of science in the 21st century.

Category:

Science & Technology

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• bbc horizon bbc horizon

[dragonclan1tnt]

hummmmmmmm i never hear that one before..... but the guy is still alive and all he is doing is keeping his digestive system in check. I think its worth taking some of his blood and testing it. U never know other thing have been proven wrong, remember that story about Galileo Galilei's conflicts with the Roman Catholic Church. All am saying if i had a electron microscope in my room i would be a little more incline to dismiss these thing with easy, than re test them

[Mrchagrilled]

HIV doesnt cause AIDS? ok show me someone who has had AID's and not HIV

[Mrchagrilled]

lmao dd you just say quantum physics isnt correct? xD

[syldanna]

I just keep saying to myself how disingenous this program is. Statements like "look at the clouds here and here. They look the same so it myst be correct." Or even that doctors have a consensus for how to treat cancer (thier success rate is terrible). Or the best one when he says that bloggers "don't appear" to be totally consistent. These are not the words of science. Physics has been around for years and the consensus is that it is correct .... until you get to the quantum level.......

[TheRealmetal666]

wow this guy just keeps implying we people are idiots and that "scientists" are always right(even when proven wrong) and that they shouldnt have to tell anyone since we wouldnt understand anyway

[lightfdar]

Plus when it comes to Pharmaceutical companies and there profits they will give you a illness just so they can cure you or lessen the pain so they can make a profit. What the reporter in this is forgetting the the prostitution of science where scientist say anything just to get a pay check. Its almost kinda sad since he seem oblivious to the mere fact of the flaws in HIV and AIDs research or the mere fact that the dud he is interviewing should be died by the majority of scientist

[lightfdar]

"A house of NUmbers' watch it and do your own reading on the topic and you will realize what he said on the HIV bit is for better words not true. There are many big important scientist with noble prizes who have worked on HIV for years who are agree with the dud who says nothing no go so don't take the pills.

[zacinfinite]

@mrocean21 TOTALLY AGREE WITH THAT! I have seen many

[KidInsight]

@mrocean21 The ironic thing is, Science actually backs your claim. :P 107 medical research institutions were questioned and around 15% admitted to altering manuscripts based on the interests of pharmaceutical companies funding the research. But I guess, we can't trust this either. ;D

[bmlong137]

@samooc it sounds like he believes that both HIV and AIDS are caused by the same thing; so it wouldn't change his view. You could say that a bomb caused a building to explode. He would say the invention of explosive material caused both.