 Should people who aren't scientists have a say in what science gets done and how it is used? There are plenty of scientists who had blanched the idea. After all, if you've stretched yourself to the limit, probably sacrificing friends, family and any semblance of a social life on the way, to become the world's foremost authority on your particular corner of reality, why the heck would you listen to someone who doesn't know their biology from their backside, so to speak? To make matters worse, people who aren't scientists just don't get it. They don't see the world the way it really is. They're full of misconceptions and wrong thinking. They jump to unfounded conclusions and allow their ignorance to dominate their decisions. They couldn't possibly understand the profound intricacies and interactions of the world in a way that allows them to make smart decisions. Surely these people, uninitiated in the great mysteries of life, need our help, not our ears. Apart from one small problem. If we don't listen to people, we will never know what's important to them. And if we don't know what is important, we will never be able to transform the science we do from a self-indulgent hobby into something that is of value to society. Of course, engaging with non-scientists on science is not easy. It means having to explain what we do and why to people who aren't experts in our field. It means learning how to listen and how to collaborate with people who see the world differently to us. And it means developing a modicum of awareness on how society works. But without such partnerships, it's hard to see how the increasingly complex products of science will lead to the creation of mutual worth within society. Instead, we run the risk of harming people and the environment through lost opportunities and irresponsible development. Just because people didn't understand the science, but because scientists didn't understand people. Allowing people who aren't experts to act as if they are is probably not a good idea. But understanding and using the diverse expertise that different people bring to the table, whether it's insight into what's important or who will most likely suffer or benefit from a decision or how to solve a particularly knotty problem seems pretty smart. Which is why people who aren't scientists probably should have at least some say in what science gets done and how it is used.