Brave new world 2.0

Abstract

In 2016, the editors of Biogeochemistry wrote that “the very nature of science and its role in American society is under attack. We believe that well-established scientific consensus in the environmental sciences is being ignored in policymaking, and funding for scientific inquiry that runs counter to political interests is under threat. This political stance favoring ignorance over inquiry fundamentally would, if it is allowed to perpetuate, threaten not only our quality of life but also our future as a species.” We concluded that we were living in dangerous and frightening times, and that scientists needed to step outside the comfort zone of their laboratory and engage with the media, schools, and public discourse. While Huxley’s “silence about truth” benefits those in power who wish for the public to remain ignorant of politically inconvenient truths, environmental issues cannot be satisfactorily addressed if society is not informed of the issues, their causes, and potential solutions. There has been some progress here, with 72% of Americans reporting to personally care ‘a great deal’ or ‘some’ about global climate change—a testament to effective communication by climate change scientists—but we are now watching the rapid dismantling of the inquiry-based scientific enterprise in the United States (US), with grievous consequences for the ways in which the planet’s basic functions sustain humanity. While much of what we write applies to many scientific disciplines, we will focus on the discipline of biogeochemistry.