A dramatic protest by scientists was staged in Westminster, London on Tuesday. At a mock Victorian funeral over 100 scientists, mainly organic chemists, carried a coffin with floral wreaths spelling out “SCIENCE”.
The coffin contained a petition against science budget cuts, which they then delivered to the Prime Minister’s residence. Twenty-five scientists also held early morning meetings with their MPs before parliament opened.
With the threat of cuts to funding increasing, scientists are increasingly finding their voice. This protest follows on from the 2010 Science is Vital campaign where thousands of scientists successfully campaigned against budget cuts. This current tide of anger amongst scientists is again being displayed in a very theatrical way (the funeral) but also in a more constructive way – through dialogue with MPs.
The protests are against science funding policy in the UK, with protesters concerned about the erosion of blue-skies research. The group Science for the Future has the support of nine Nobel Laureates. One complaint is against the requirement for applicants to predict in advance the benefits of their research. Policies like this would certainly not have led to the discovery of lasers or penicillin, argue the protesters. For more information see the links below:
