One of our greatest scientific minds reflects on the role of science in the twenty-first century.
In this riveting, eye-opening new book, preeminent astrophysicist Martin Rees charts out the future of science, offering a compelling vision of how scientists and laypeople can work together to address the most urgent issues of our era―including climate change and energy concerns, population growth, and epidemiological threats.
Scientific research is crucial to a growing number of policy decisions, but in our public discussions, ideology and indignation all too often threaten to drown out research and evidence. To shape debates over health care, energy policy, space travel, and other vital issues, ordinary citizens must engage directly with research rather than relying on pundits’ and politicians’ interpretations. Otherwise, fringe opinions that have been discredited in the scientific community can take hold in the public imagination. At the same time, scientists must understand their roles as communicators and ambassadors as well as researchers.
Rees not only diagnoses this central problem but also explains how scientists and the general public can deploy a global, long-term perspective to address the new challenges we face. In the process, he reveals critical shortcomings in our current system―for example, the tendency to be overly anxious about minor hazards while underrating the risk of potential catastrophes. Offering a strikingly clear portrait of the future of science, Rees tackles such diverse topics as the human brain, the possibility that humans will colonize other planets, and the existence of extraterrestrial life in order to distinguish between what scientists can hope to discover and what will always lie beyond our grasp.
A fresh perspective on science’s significance and potential, From Here to Infinity will inspire and enlighten.
From Booklist
Invited to deliver the 2010 BBC Reith Lectures, in which an eminence expounds on his specialty, Rees talked about science’s relevance to the future in broad terms, as the four talks reworked for this short tome indicate. The first mulls the extent to which scientists should involve themselves in public policy. So long as they don’t invoke their authority as experts in spheres beyond their ken, Rees, a former incumbent of Britain’s most prestigious scientific posts and author of works of popular science, in effect says to scientists, have at it. The second lecture picks three issues Rees regards as the most threatening to humanity and, therefore, suitable for science’s public activism—world population and food supply, climate change (the major worry in Rees’ Our Final Hour, 2003), and energy supplies. The third and fourth lectures are, respectively, about Rees’ predictions of future discoveries and his suggestions for enhancing the training of scientists in this era of globalization. A prominent figure and accessible writer, Rees will attract interest to his scientific observations and prognostications. --Gilbert Taylor
Review
"Martin Rees provides sage advice on why and about what scientists should communicate with the rest of society, and what they might expect in return. He also offers a wonderful sampling of what we now know, don’t know, and likely won’t know from scientific study―now and in the future." ― Alan Leshner, chief executive officer, American Association for the Advancement of Science
"We finesse our relationship to a dangerous and glorious world through science. As no one else can, Martin Rees finesses our relationship to science." ― Stewart Brand, founder of the Whole Earth Catalog and author of Whole Earth Discipline
"[A] pithy explanation of the role of science in the global economy." ― The Times
"An absorbing summation of the state of science today." ― BBC Focus
About the Author
Martin Rees is a leading cosmologist and astrophysicist. He was Master of Trinity College, Cambridge from 2004 to 2012, is a member of the House of Lords, and former president of the Royal Society. He lives in Cambridge, England.
One of our greatest scientific minds reflects on the role of science in the twenty-first century.
In this riveting, eye-opening new book, preeminent astrophysicist Martin Rees charts out the future of science, offering a compelling vision of how scientists and laypeople can work together to address the most urgent issues of our era―including climate change and energy concerns, population growth, and epidemiological threats.
Scientific research is crucial to a growing number of policy decisions, but in our public discussions, ideology and indignation all too often threaten to drown out research and evidence. To shape debates over health care, energy policy, space travel, and other vital issues, ordinary citizens must engage directly with research rather than relying on pundits’ and politicians’ interpretations. Otherwise, fringe opinions that have been discredited in the scientific community can take hold in the public imagination. At the same time, scientists must understand their roles as communicators and ambassadors as well as researchers.
Rees not only diagnoses this central problem but also explains how scientists and the general public can deploy a global, long-term perspective to address the new challenges we face. In the process, he reveals critical shortcomings in our current system―for example, the tendency to be overly anxious about minor hazards while underrating the risk of potential catastrophes. Offering a strikingly clear portrait of the future of science, Rees tackles such diverse topics as the human brain, the possibility that humans will colonize other planets, and the existence of extraterrestrial life in order to distinguish between what scientists can hope to discover and what will always lie beyond our grasp.
A fresh perspective on science’s significance and potential, From Here to Infinity will inspire and enlighten.
From Booklist
Invited to deliver the 2010 BBC Reith Lectures, in which an eminence expounds on his specialty, Rees talked about science’s relevance to the future in broad terms, as the four talks reworked for this short tome indicate. The first mulls the extent to which scientists should involve themselves in public policy. So long as they don’t invoke their authority as experts in spheres beyond their ken, Rees, a former incumbent of Britain’s most prestigious scientific posts and author of works of popular science, in effect says to scientists, have at it. The second lecture picks three issues Rees regards as the most threatening to humanity and, therefore, suitable for science’s public activism—world population and food supply, climate change (the major worry in Rees’ Our Final Hour, 2003), and energy supplies. The third and fourth lectures are, respectively, about Rees’ predictions of future discoveries and his suggestions for enhancing the training of scientists in this era of globalization. A prominent figure and accessible writer, Rees will attract interest to his scientific observations and prognostications. --Gilbert Taylor
Review
"Martin Rees provides sage advice on why and about what scientists should communicate with the rest of society, and what they might expect in return. He also offers a wonderful sampling of what we now know, don’t know, and likely won’t know from scientific study―now and in the future."
― Alan Leshner, chief executive officer, American Association for the Advancement of Science
"We finesse our relationship to a dangerous and glorious world through science. As no one else can, Martin Rees finesses our relationship to science."
― Stewart Brand, founder of the Whole Earth Catalog and author of Whole Earth Discipline
"[A] pithy explanation of the role of science in the global economy."
― The Times
"An absorbing summation of the state of science today."
― BBC Focus
About the Author
Martin Rees is a leading cosmologist and astrophysicist. He was Master of Trinity College, Cambridge from 2004 to 2012, is a member of the House of Lords, and former president of the Royal Society. He lives in Cambridge, England.