On the Record
“Common sense tellsyou that you want professionals trained to the N th degree to do jobs like astronaut jobs.”
Astronaut Jerry Linenger disapproves of plans by a private company to offer spacewalks to the public — at a total cost of $35 million.
“Danger! Water contains high levels of hydrogen.”
Officials in Louisville, Kentucky, post signs to discourage residents from playing in the city's fountains.
Sources: Washington Post, Louisville Courier Journal
Scorecard
Long-range forecasts
Japanese scientists unveil plans to create a 30-year weather forecast using their Earth Simulator supercomputer.
Plants in space
China announces that it will launch a satellite this autumn solely to breed seeds in microgravity.
Australian science
A government audit shows that Australia may face a shortage of 20,000 scientists and engineers by 2012.
Number crunch
The Union of Concerned Scientists recently surveyed 997 researchers at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and found:
70% believe the agency lacks the resources to protect public health.
60% knew of commercial interference in the FDA process.
18% had been asked to inappropriately exclude or alter technical information or their conclusions.
40% said they could not publicly express concerns about public health without fear of retaliation.
Source: Union of Concerned Scientists
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Sidelines. Nature 442, 339 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/442339a
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/442339a