Orthodoxy in science

[N.Monks@xxxxxxxxx (Neale Monks)]

Dear All,

Last night, on the BBC Home Service, their was a science programme
discussing orthodoxy and academic vested interest in science. One of their
case histories was the K - T boundary, a subject dear to the hearts of many
of those in this group.

The bottom line was that the sexiness of the asteroid impact theory and the
ease with which the media can add 'spin' (i.e. contemporary meaning) to the
tale has allowed what is, at best, a contreversial hypothesis to be
accepted with all the gravity of an accepted theory like Newtonian
mechanics (if you will pardon the pun).

Interviews with scientists like Hallam and Maclean made me feel this was
more about personalities than science: where some will 'jump on the
bandwagon' of a charismatic and / or Machiavellian self publicist;other's
with alternative theories with more experience and equally compelling
evidence (irrespective of whether they are right or wrong) are banished to
the backwaters (i.e Europe and Canada?).

Any thoughts?

Neale.


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>From  Neale Monks' Macintosh PowerBook, at...

Department of Palaeontology, Natural History Museum, London, SW7 5BD
Internet: N.Monks@nhm.ac.uk, Telephone: 0171-938-9007

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