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Stewart Gault

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Making science more accessible.

As science has progressed it has become increasingly complex. This has lead to a separation of some ideas from common people and elite scientists at the peak of their field due to the fact that some ideas are increasingly hard to understand.

I propose that each year a good author, along with relevant scientists from each field, biology chemistry and physics come together to write a book for each field which sums up the latest knowledge into a book which could be easily read, and understood by a first year high school student.

This way we make science more accessible and bridge the gap between scientific illiteracy and modern science.

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    James Cooper

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    Jun 17 2012: I often feel that science is not well taught in the UK. There is a severe lack of understanding when it comes to things that should be common knowledge. In the context of my field, infectious disease, this lack of understanding can lead to problems. An example: people have relatively free access to antibiotics. People are very willing, both to not finish their antibiotic courses and to self prescribe antibiotic medications (usually left over from an unfinished course). This is leading to the development of super bugs. This is a problem.

    If people knew the difference between a virus and a bacterium. If people knew the dangers of not finishing their courses of prescribed medication, we may be in a better position than we are now.

    This is an example of one problem in one field that could be adressed through better science education. Writing an easy to understand book on developments in "the three branches" is a nice idea. A web site is an even nicer idea, though I rather think TED is fulfilling that role.

    Ultimately I would say the real problem isn't keeping people better informed. The truth is most definitely out there. It's making them care.
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    Linda Taylor 50+

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    Jun 16 2012: Why not an open source website instead of a book?
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      Stewart Gault 30+

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      Jun 16 2012: I just like books :) but a website would also be equally as good, it also adds the element of constant updates.
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        Kevin Jacobson

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        Jun 16 2012: A website would at least be more economical. But why not take it a step further. You could have a separate website for each topic with all the modern information.
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          Stewart Gault 30+

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          Jun 17 2012: Well with a book, the money raised from its retail could go towards funding projects
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        Helen Hupe 30+

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        Jun 20 2012: Good idea...Also television, the Science Channel, Smithsonian Channel, Animal planet, etc.
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          Debra Smith 200+

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          Jun 27 2012: All we need to do is to bend our minds toward making it accessible and understandible to the very young. It can be done if we care enough.
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