Getting Science Wrong

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Getting Science Wrong

Paul Dicken
Getting Science Wrong Book PDF

Author : Paul Dicken
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 286 pages
File Size : 54,6 Mb
Release : 2018
Category : Errors, Scientific
ISBN : 1350007315

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Getting Science Wrong by Paul Dicken Pdf

"When Galileo dropped cannon-balls from the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, he did more than overturn centuries of scientific orthodoxy. At a stroke, he established a new conception of the scientific method based upon careful experimentation and rigorous observation -- and also laid the groundwork for an ongoing conflict between the critical open-mindedness of science and the recalcitrant dogmatism of religion that would continue to the modern day. The problem is that Galileo never performed his most celebrated experiment in Pisa. In fact, he rarely conducted any experiments at all. The Church publicly celebrated his work, and Galileo enjoyed patronage from the great and the powerful; his ecclesiastical difficulties only began when disgruntled colleagues launched a campaign to discredit their academic rival. But what does this tell us about modern science if its own foundation myth turns out to be nothing more than political propaganda? Getting Science Wrong discusses some of the most popular misconceptions about science, and their continuing role in the public imagination. Drawing upon the history and philosophy of science it challenges wide-spread assumptions and misunderstandings, from creationism and climate change to the use of statistics and computer modelling. The result is an engaging introduction to contentious issues in the philosophy of science and a new way of looking at the role of science in society."--Bloomsbury Publishing

Getting Science Wrong

Paul Dicken
Getting Science Wrong Book PDF

Author : Paul Dicken
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
Page : 224 pages
File Size : 50,7 Mb
Release : 2018-01-11
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9781350007291

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Getting Science Wrong by Paul Dicken Pdf

When Galileo dropped cannon-balls from the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, he did more than overturn centuries of scientific orthodoxy. At a stroke, he established a new conception of the scientific method based upon careful experimentation and rigorous observation - and also laid the groundwork for an ongoing conflict between the critical open-mindedness of science and the recalcitrant dogmatism of religion that would continue to the modern day. The problem is that Galileo never performed his most celebrated experiment in Pisa. In fact, he rarely conducted any experiments at all. The Church publicly celebrated his work, and Galileo enjoyed patronage from the great and the powerful; his ecclesiastical difficulties only began when disgruntled colleagues launched a campaign to discredit their academic rival. But what does this tell us about modern science if its own foundation myth turns out to be nothing more than political propaganda? Getting Science Wrong discusses some of the most popular misconceptions about science, and their continuing role in the public imagination. Drawing upon the history and philosophy of science it challenges wide-spread assumptions and misunderstandings, from creationism and climate change to the use of statistics and computer modelling. The result is an engaging introduction to contentious issues in the philosophy of science and a new way of looking at the role of science in society.

Unsettled

Steven E. Koonin
Unsettled Book PDF

Author : Steven E. Koonin
Publisher : BenBella Books
Page : 321 pages
File Size : 52,9 Mb
Release : 2021-04-27
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781953295248

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Unsettled by Steven E. Koonin Pdf

"Unsettled is a remarkable book—probably the best book on climate change for the intelligent layperson—that achieves the feat of conveying complex information clearly and in depth." —Claremont Review of Books "Surging sea levels are inundating the coasts." "Hurricanes and tornadoes are becoming fiercer and more frequent." "Climate change will be an economic disaster." You've heard all this presented as fact. But according to science, all of these statements are profoundly misleading. When it comes to climate change, the media, politicians, and other prominent voices have declared that "the science is settled." In reality, the long game of telephone from research to reports to the popular media is corrupted by misunderstanding and misinformation. Core questions—about the way the climate is responding to our influence, and what the impacts will be—remain largely unanswered. The climate is changing, but the why and how aren't as clear as you've probably been led to believe. Now, one of America's most distinguished scientists is clearing away the fog to explain what science really says (and doesn't say) about our changing climate. In Unsettled: What Climate Science Tells Us, What It Doesn't, and Why It Matters, Steven Koonin draws upon his decades of experience—including as a top science advisor to the Obama administration—to provide up-to-date insights and expert perspective free from political agendas. Fascinating, clear-headed, and full of surprises, this book gives readers the tools to both understand the climate issue and be savvier consumers of science media in general. Koonin takes readers behind the headlines to the more nuanced science itself, showing us where it comes from and guiding us through the implications of the evidence. He dispels popular myths and unveils little-known truths: despite a dramatic rise in greenhouse gas emissions, global temperatures actually decreased from 1940 to 1970. What's more, the models we use to predict the future aren't able to accurately describe the climate of the past, suggesting they are deeply flawed. Koonin also tackles society's response to a changing climate, using data-driven analysis to explain why many proposed "solutions" would be ineffective, and discussing how alternatives like adaptation and, if necessary, geoengineering will ensure humanity continues to prosper. Unsettled is a reality check buoyed by hope, offering the truth about climate science that you aren't getting elsewhere—what we know, what we don't, and what it all means for our future.

When Science Goes Wrong

Simon LeVay
When Science Goes Wrong Book PDF

Author : Simon LeVay
Publisher : Penguin
Page : 308 pages
File Size : 51,9 Mb
Release : 2008-03-25
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781440639388

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When Science Goes Wrong by Simon LeVay Pdf

Brilliant scientific successes have helped shape our world, and are always celebrated. However, for every victory, there are no doubt numerous little-known blunders. Neuroscientist Simon LeVay brings together a collection of fascinating, yet shocking, stories of failure from recent scientific history in When Science Goes Wrong. From the fields of forensics and microbiology to nuclear physics and meteorology, in When Science Goes Wrong LeVay shares twelve true essays illustrating a variety of ways in which the scientific process can go awry. Failures, disasters and other negative outcomes of science can result not only from bad luck, but from causes including failure to follow appropriate procedures and heed warnings, ethical breaches, quick pressure to obtain results, and even fraud. Often, as LeVay notes, the greatest opportunity for notable mishaps occurs when science serves human ends. LeVay shares these examples: To counteract the onslaught of Parkinson’s disease, a patient undergoes cutting-edge brain surgery using fetal transplants, and is later found to have hair and cartilage growing inside his brain. In 1999, NASA’s Mars Climate Orbiter spacecraft is lost due to an error in calculation, only months after the agency adopts a policy of “Faster, Better, Cheaper.” Britain’s Bracknell weather forecasting team predicts two possible outcomes for a potentially violent system, but is pressured into releasing a ‘milder’ forecast. The BBC’s top weatherman reports there is “no hurricane”, while later the storm hits, devastating southeast England. Ignoring signals of an imminent eruption, scientists decide to lead a party to hike into the crater of a dormant volcano in Columbia, causing injury and death. When Science Goes Wrong provides a compelling glimpse into human ambition in scientific pursuit.

On Being a Scientist

National Academy of Engineering,National Academy of Sciences,Institute of Medicine,Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy
On Being a Scientist Book PDF

Author : National Academy of Engineering,National Academy of Sciences,Institute of Medicine,Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy
Publisher : National Academies Press
Page : 44 pages
File Size : 51,7 Mb
Release : 1995-02-10
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 0309051967

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On Being a Scientist by National Academy of Engineering,National Academy of Sciences,Institute of Medicine,Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy Pdf

Since the first edition of On Being a Scientist was published in 1989, more than 200,000 copies have been distributed to graduate and undergraduate science students. Now this well-received booklet has been updated to incorporate the important developments in science ethics of the past 6 years and includes updated examples and material from the landmark volume Responsible Science (National Academy Press, 1992). The revision reflects feedback from readers of the original version. In response to graduate students' requests, it offers several case studies in science ethics that pose provocative and realistic scenarios of ethical dilemmas and issues. On Being a Scientist presents penetrating discussions of the social and historical context of science, the allocation of credit for discovery, the scientist's role in society, the issues revolving around publication, and many other aspects of scientific work. The booklet explores the inevitable conflicts that arise when the black and white areas of science meet the gray areas of human values and biases. Written in a conversational style, this booklet will be of great interest to students entering scientific research, their instructors and mentors, and anyone interested in the role of scientific discovery in society.

Apocalypse Never

Michael Shellenberger
Apocalypse Never Book PDF

Author : Michael Shellenberger
Publisher : HarperCollins
Page : 432 pages
File Size : 46,9 Mb
Release : 2020-06-30
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780063001701

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Apocalypse Never by Michael Shellenberger Pdf

Now a National Bestseller! Climate change is real but it’s not the end of the world. It is not even our most serious environmental problem. Michael Shellenberger has been fighting for a greener planet for decades. He helped save the world’s last unprotected redwoods. He co-created the predecessor to today’s Green New Deal. And he led a successful effort by climate scientists and activists to keep nuclear plants operating, preventing a spike of emissions. But in 2019, as some claimed “billions of people are going to die,” contributing to rising anxiety, including among adolescents, Shellenberger decided that, as a lifelong environmental activist, leading energy expert, and father of a teenage daughter, he needed to speak out to separate science from fiction. Despite decades of news media attention, many remain ignorant of basic facts. Carbon emissions peaked and have been declining in most developed nations for over a decade. Deaths from extreme weather, even in poor nations, declined 80 percent over the last four decades. And the risk of Earth warming to very high temperatures is increasingly unlikely thanks to slowing population growth and abundant natural gas. Curiously, the people who are the most alarmist about the problems also tend to oppose the obvious solutions. What’s really behind the rise of apocalyptic environmentalism? There are powerful financial interests. There are desires for status and power. But most of all there is a desire among supposedly secular people for transcendence. This spiritual impulse can be natural and healthy. But in preaching fear without love, and guilt without redemption, the new religion is failing to satisfy our deepest psychological and existential needs.

The Knowledge Machine: How Irrationality Created Modern Science

Michael Strevens
The Knowledge Machine How Irrationality Created Modern Science Book PDF

Author : Michael Strevens
Publisher : Liveright Publishing
Page : 368 pages
File Size : 45,9 Mb
Release : 2020-10-13
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781631491382

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The Knowledge Machine: How Irrationality Created Modern Science by Michael Strevens Pdf

“The Knowledge Machine is the most stunningly illuminating book of the last several decades regarding the all-important scientific enterprise.” —Rebecca Newberger Goldstein, author of Plato at the Googleplex A paradigm-shifting work, The Knowledge Machine revolutionizes our understanding of the origins and structure of science. • Why is science so powerful? • Why did it take so long—two thousand years after the invention of philosophy and mathematics—for the human race to start using science to learn the secrets of the universe? In a groundbreaking work that blends science, philosophy, and history, leading philosopher of science Michael Strevens answers these challenging questions, showing how science came about only once thinkers stumbled upon the astonishing idea that scientific breakthroughs could be accomplished by breaking the rules of logical argument. Like such classic works as Karl Popper’s The Logic of Scientific Discovery and Thomas Kuhn’s The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, The Knowledge Machine grapples with the meaning and origins of science, using a plethora of vivid historical examples to demonstrate that scientists willfully ignore religion, theoretical beauty, and even philosophy to embrace a constricted code of argument whose very narrowness channels unprecedented energy into empirical observation and experimentation. Strevens calls this scientific code the iron rule of explanation, and reveals the way in which the rule, precisely because it is unreasonably close-minded, overcomes individual prejudices to lead humanity inexorably toward the secrets of nature. “With a mixture of philosophical and historical argument, and written in an engrossing style” (Alan Ryan), The Knowledge Machine provides captivating portraits of some of the greatest luminaries in science’s history, including Isaac Newton, the chief architect of modern science and its foundational theories of motion and gravitation; William Whewell, perhaps the greatest philosopher-scientist of the early nineteenth century; and Murray Gell-Mann, discoverer of the quark. Today, Strevens argues, in the face of threats from a changing climate and global pandemics, the idiosyncratic but highly effective scientific knowledge machine must be protected from politicians, commercial interests, and even scientists themselves who seek to open it up, to make it less narrow and more rational—and thus to undermine its devotedly empirical search for truth. Rich with illuminating and often delightfully quirky illustrations, The Knowledge Machine, written in a winningly accessible style that belies the import of its revisionist and groundbreaking concepts, radically reframes much of what we thought we knew about the origins of the modern world.

Project Hail Mary

Andy Weir
Project Hail Mary Book PDF

Author : Andy Weir
Publisher : Ballantine Books
Page : 497 pages
File Size : 42,7 Mb
Release : 2022-10-04
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9780593135228

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Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir Pdf

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of The Martian, a lone astronaut must save the earth from disaster in this “propulsive” (Entertainment Weekly), cinematic thriller full of suspense, humor, and fascinating science—in development as a major motion picture starring Ryan Gosling. HUGO AWARD FINALIST • ONE OF THE YEAR’S BEST BOOKS: Bill Gates, GatesNotes, New York Public Library, Parade, Newsweek, Polygon, Shelf Awareness, She Reads, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal • “An epic story of redemption, discovery and cool speculative sci-fi.”—USA Today “If you loved The Martian, you’ll go crazy for Weir’s latest.”—The Washington Post Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission—and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish. Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it. All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company. His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through space on this tiny ship, it’s up to him to puzzle out an impossible scientific mystery—and conquer an extinction-level threat to our species. And with the clock ticking down and the nearest human being light-years away, he’s got to do it all alone. Or does he? An irresistible interstellar adventure as only Andy Weir could deliver, Project Hail Mary is a tale of discovery, speculation, and survival to rival The Martian—while taking us to places it never dreamed of going.

They Got It Wrong: Science

Graeme Donald
They Got It Wrong Science Book PDF

Author : Graeme Donald
Publisher : Penguin
Page : 176 pages
File Size : 47,9 Mb
Release : 2013-03-21
Category : Reference
ISBN : 9781621450245

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They Got It Wrong: Science by Graeme Donald Pdf

This book is the perfect gift for anyone with an interest in our scientific history. It exposes the theories that were once widely regarded as facts but have since been proven to be complete science fiction. From such seemingly crazy ideas as the body being composed of only four things—black and yellow bile, blood, and phlegm—to the discovery of dinosaur bones being accepted as the bones of giants killed in the great flood from Biblical times. They Got It Wrong: Science tells the fascinating story behind 50 erroneous scientific theories and gives incredible perspective on how the way we view the workings of the world has evolved throughout history.

Everything You Know About Science is Wrong

Matt Brown
Everything You Know About Science is Wrong Book PDF

Author : Matt Brown
Publisher : Batsford Books
Page : 220 pages
File Size : 40,7 Mb
Release : 2017-02-16
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781849944618

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Everything You Know About Science is Wrong by Matt Brown Pdf

A highly entertaining, myth-busting read for anyone with even a passing interest in science. Hot on the heels of the fascinating compendium Everything You Know About London Is Wrong, this next book in the series, written by author Matt Brown in his trademark humourous style, debunks the scientific myths we all take for granted. Does nothing travel faster than the speed of light? Well, in certain circumstances, a winded tortoise can go faster. Are there actually seven colours in a rainbow? Think again. And our author merrily explains why our hair and nails don't keep growing after we die and why chemicals in our diet might not be the toxic threats we are led to believe. Covering everything from pseudoscience to phenomena of physics, scandals of space and scientific misquotes, Everything You Know About Science is Wrong shatters a range of illusions we have accepted unquestioningly since childhood and demystifies this most puzzling of subjects.

Reproducibility and Replicability in Science

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine,Policy and Global Affairs,Committee on Science, Engineering, Medicine, and Public Policy,Board on Research Data and Information,Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences,Committee on Applied and Theoretical Statistics,Board on Mathematical Sciences and Analytics,Division on Earth and Life Studies,Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board,Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Committee on National Statistics,Board on Behavioral, Cognitive, and Sensory Sciences,Committee on Reproducibility and Replicability in Science
Reproducibility and Replicability in Science Book PDF

Author : National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine,Policy and Global Affairs,Committee on Science, Engineering, Medicine, and Public Policy,Board on Research Data and Information,Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences,Committee on Applied and Theoretical Statistics,Board on Mathematical Sciences and Analytics,Division on Earth and Life Studies,Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board,Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Committee on National Statistics,Board on Behavioral, Cognitive, and Sensory Sciences,Committee on Reproducibility and Replicability in Science
Publisher : National Academies Press
Page : 257 pages
File Size : 52,9 Mb
Release : 2019-10-20
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780309486163

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Reproducibility and Replicability in Science by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine,Policy and Global Affairs,Committee on Science, Engineering, Medicine, and Public Policy,Board on Research Data and Information,Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences,Committee on Applied and Theoretical Statistics,Board on Mathematical Sciences and Analytics,Division on Earth and Life Studies,Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board,Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Committee on National Statistics,Board on Behavioral, Cognitive, and Sensory Sciences,Committee on Reproducibility and Replicability in Science Pdf

One of the pathways by which the scientific community confirms the validity of a new scientific discovery is by repeating the research that produced it. When a scientific effort fails to independently confirm the computations or results of a previous study, some fear that it may be a symptom of a lack of rigor in science, while others argue that such an observed inconsistency can be an important precursor to new discovery. Concerns about reproducibility and replicability have been expressed in both scientific and popular media. As these concerns came to light, Congress requested that the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine conduct a study to assess the extent of issues related to reproducibility and replicability and to offer recommendations for improving rigor and transparency in scientific research. Reproducibility and Replicability in Science defines reproducibility and replicability and examines the factors that may lead to non-reproducibility and non-replicability in research. Unlike the typical expectation of reproducibility between two computations, expectations about replicability are more nuanced, and in some cases a lack of replicability can aid the process of scientific discovery. This report provides recommendations to researchers, academic institutions, journals, and funders on steps they can take to improve reproducibility and replicability in science.

Statistics Done Wrong

Alex Reinhart
Statistics Done Wrong Book PDF

Author : Alex Reinhart
Publisher : No Starch Press
Page : 177 pages
File Size : 53,9 Mb
Release : 2015-03-01
Category : Mathematics
ISBN : 9781593276201

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Statistics Done Wrong by Alex Reinhart Pdf

Scientific progress depends on good research, and good research needs good statistics. But statistical analysis is tricky to get right, even for the best and brightest of us. You'd be surprised how many scientists are doing it wrong. Statistics Done Wrong is a pithy, essential guide to statistical blunders in modern science that will show you how to keep your research blunder-free. You'll examine embarrassing errors and omissions in recent research, learn about the misconceptions and scientific politics that allow these mistakes to happen, and begin your quest to reform the way you and your peers do statistics. You'll find advice on: –Asking the right question, designing the right experiment, choosing the right statistical analysis, and sticking to the plan –How to think about p values, significance, insignificance, confidence intervals, and regression –Choosing the right sample size and avoiding false positives –Reporting your analysis and publishing your data and source code –Procedures to follow, precautions to take, and analytical software that can help Scientists: Read this concise, powerful guide to help you produce statistically sound research. Statisticians: Give this book to everyone you know. The first step toward statistics done right is Statistics Done Wrong.

Scienceblind

Andrew Shtulman
Scienceblind Book PDF

Author : Andrew Shtulman
Publisher : Basic Books
Page : 320 pages
File Size : 42,6 Mb
Release : 2017-04-25
Category : Psychology
ISBN : 9780465094929

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Scienceblind by Andrew Shtulman Pdf

Humans are born to create theories about the world--unfortunately, they're usually wrong, and keep us from understanding the world as it really is Why do we catch colds? What causes seasons to change? And if you fire a bullet from a gun and drop one from your hand, which bullet hits the ground first? In a pinch we almost always get these questions wrong. Worse, we regularly misconstrue fundamental qualities of the world around us. In Scienceblind, cognitive and developmental psychologist Andrew Shtulman shows that the root of our misconceptions lies in the theories about the world we develop as children. They're not only wrong, they close our minds to ideas inconsistent with them, making us unable to learn science later in life. So how do we get the world right? We must dismantle our intuitive theories and rebuild our knowledge from its foundations. The reward won't just be a truer picture of the world, but clearer solutions to many controversies-around vaccines, climate change, or evolution-that plague our politics today.

Why Science Is Wrong...about Almost Everything

Alex Tsakiris
Why Science Is Wrong about Almost Everything Book PDF

Author : Alex Tsakiris
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 192 pages
File Size : 51,8 Mb
Release : 2015-06
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 1938398505

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Why Science Is Wrong...about Almost Everything by Alex Tsakiris Pdf

A Rollicking Assault on Science's Inability to Answer Life's Most Important Questions Alex Tsakiris has interviewed many bestselling authors and dozens of world-class academics on his popular science podcastSkeptiko.com. In this book he shares with us what he's learned through his 200-plus interviews with some of the world's leading consciousness researchers and thinkers. In doing so, he reveals what the best research is saying about 'big picture' science questions and the limits of science in general. What's he's learned, in short, is that science-as-we-know-it is an emperor-with-no-clothes-on proposition. It mesmerizes us with flashy trinkets, while failing at its core mission of leading us toward self-discovery. Science is wrong about almost everything because science depends on our consciousness being an illusion-and it's not! ALEX TSAKIRIS is a successful entrepreneur turned science podcaster. In 2007 he founded Skeptiko.com, which has become the #1 podcast covering the science of human consciousness. Alex has appeared on syndicated radio talk shows both in the US and the UK. He lives in Del Mar, California."

Seeds of Science

Mark Lynas
Seeds of Science Book PDF

Author : Mark Lynas
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
Page : 305 pages
File Size : 45,5 Mb
Release : 2018-04-05
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9781472946959

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Seeds of Science by Mark Lynas Pdf

'Mark Lynas is a saint' Sunday Times 'Fluent, persuasive and surely right.' Evening Standard Mark Lynas was one of the original GM field wreckers. Back in the 1990s – working undercover with his colleagues in the environmental movement – he would descend on trial sites of genetically modified crops at night and hack them to pieces. Two decades later, most people around the world – from New York to China – still think that 'GMO' foods are bad for their health or likely to damage the environment. But Mark has changed his mind. This book explains why. In 2013, in a world-famous recantation speech, Mark apologised for having destroyed GM crops. He spent the subsequent years touring Africa and Asia, and working with plant scientists who are using this technology to help smallholder farmers in developing countries cope better with pests, diseases and droughts. This book lifts the lid on the anti-GMO craze and shows how science was left by the wayside as a wave of public hysteria swept the world. Mark takes us back to the origins of the technology and introduces the scientific pioneers who invented it. He explains what led him to question his earlier assumptions about GM food, and talks to both sides of this fractious debate to see what still motivates worldwide opposition today. In the process he asks – and answers – the killer question: how did we all get it so wrong on GMOs? 'An important contribution to an issue with enormous potential for benefiting humanity.' Stephen Pinker 'I warmly recommend it.' Philip Pullman