March 30, 2020
When the COVID-19 crisis ends and normal life is resumed, will our behaviour change in the medium- to long-term, for example much more working from home and reduced travel? Before I try to provide some answers to that question, I’d like to consider briefly how the world reacted to the last significant pandemic: Hong Kong… » read more
Posted by pbye
October 11, 2018
Broadly speaking, scientific research takes two forms. One is applied research, which aims at practical results, such as more efficient and smaller batteries, or electricity generation from solar power. The other form is fundamental research, which is driven by curiosity and aims to expand human knowledge without any specific practical goal in mind. However, fundamental… » read more
Posted by pbye
June 28, 2018
I started this blog just over three years ago. My purpose was to defend the importance of evidence for policy-making, something that should be obvious. Yet all too often, it was clear that evidence was being ignored or distorted unless it suited policy. Since I wrote that first piece, the situation has deteriorated. In the… » read more
Posted by pbye
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InfoSociety, Political structures, Science & Policymaking, UK in Europe |
February 12, 2018
The past two years or so have seen an alarming departure from the political centre ground in many democracies. Brexit has polarised the UK, where the major parties and indeed the whole population are split into Remainers and Leavers. Even those wanting to leave the EU are divided between so-called hard and soft approaches, such… » read more
Posted by pbye
April 3, 2017
I was thinking of calling this piece ‘In defence of internationalism’ but I decided that praise is the best form of defence. And we need to speak up in favour of internationalism. After decades of increasing openness, nationalism and xenophobia are on the rise in the West. We hear politicians coming out with statements such… » read more
Posted by pbye
February 17, 2017
The title of this piece is a quotation from the great physicist Richard Feynman. Late in his life, he was asked to join the commission investigating the causes of the Challenger space shuttle disaster of 28th January, 1986: the shuttle disintegrated 73 seconds after lift-off. There were no survivors in the crew, which included a… » read more
Posted by pbye
August 22, 2016
As readers will have noticed, the theme of my blog is respect for facts, which is essential for evidence-based policy. In this piece, I’d like to look at a related topic: the need to use plain language – saying it clearly, in other words. After all, if we cannot understand what is being said or… » read more
Posted by pbye
