The Truth About Science: Answering Your Most Common Questions
Edition: 1
Copyright: 2023
Pages: 210
Edition: 1
Copyright: 2023
Pages: 210
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The COVID pandemic brought science to the forefront of society as the world watched and waited for a cure. It quickly became clear that scientific progress relied on previous discoveries and new experimentation in order to drive understanding of the virus, its transmission, and vaccine development; all in hopes of bringing the pandemic to a timely end. However, this scientific progress was also accompanied by an infodemic- as misinformation about numerous aspects of science was propagated and spread.
Human curiosity naturally seeks answers to complex questions, especially those that have obvious and apparent effects on our daily lives. We readily take in information that appears to satisfy our curiosity. Unfortunately, gaps between the cutting edge of science and mainstream science education creates a space for misunderstandings or worse, misinformation, to fill.
The Truth About Science aims to answer some of the most common questions that have developed as a result of this recent infodemic and to provide a digestible understanding of the scientific process as a whole. Chapters 1-3 describe the scientific process (how to eliminate bias, how to analyze data with accuracy, and how to draw appropriate conclusions), the way that scientific study builds on previous progress and understanding, and the way to discern good science from bad. Chapters 4-5 focus on the societal interactions of science with politics and faith. Chapters 6-7 emphasize ways to quantify scientific understanding. Chapters 8-10 describe applications of science to healthcare concerns (vaccines and cancer treatment), as well as the global impact of climate change.
By the end of this book, you will have explored some of the most important and common questions about science that permeate current American society. We’re excited to satisfy your curiosity and hunger for knowledge, giving you The Truth About Science.
Introduction
Megan Prosser
Chapter 1: What is Science Anyway?
Elijah Roth and Lauren Seaton
Chapter 2: Can We Trust Science if it is Always Changing?
Jon Milhon and Jacqueline Maze
Chapter 3: How Do You Tell Good Science From Bad?
Kenny Sossa, Sophie Savage, Dustin Van Hofwegen, and Alyssa LeMay
Chapter 4: Is Science Political?
Joshua Morris and Grace Chung
Chapter 5: Does Science Oppose Faith?
Cahleen Shrier
Chapter 6: What Do the Numbers Really Say? Part 1
Matthew Berezuk and Ethan Angle
Chapter 7: What Do the Numbers Really Say? Part 2
Matthew Berezuk and Ethan Angle
Chapter 8: Can Vaccines Really Protect Us From Getting Sick?
Cristian Aguilar and Ruthia Soh
Chapter 9: Why Isn’t There a Cure for Cancer?
Megan Prosser and Mia Brantley
Chapter 10: Is Climate Change Really Happening? What is Causing It?
Charles Chen and Hannah Kersemeier
Megan E. Prosser is the Dean of the Henry E. Riggs School of Applied Life Sciences at KGI. Prior to joining KGI, Prosser served for 10 years at Azusa Pacific University as a faculty member in the Biology and Chemistry Department teaching Cancer Biology, Genetics, and Molecular Biology. In addition, she held multiple administrative positions, including the Assistant Chair (2014-2017) and Chair (2017-2020) of the Department of Biology and Chemistry, the Senior Advisor to the President and Chief of Staff (2020-2021), and the Interim Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (2021-2022). Prosser was a double major in Biology and Chemistry from the University of Redlands and earned her PhD in Cancer Immunotherapeutics and Tumor Immunology from the Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences at City of Hope. Her research expertise focuses on adoptive immunotherapeutic approaches for enhanced cancer therapy. Prosser lives and works in Southern California.
Joshua Morris is a professor of Biology and Chemistry at Azusa Pacific University (APU). During his 18 years at APU, he has taught numerous classes including Genetics, Bioethics, Cancer Biology, Neurobiology, and Nature. He has also served as Assistant Chair in the Department of Biology and Chemistry, Faculty Senate Moderator, the Director of Institutional Research, and is currently serving as the Interim Associate Provost of Institutional Effectiveness. Morris earned a B.S. in Biology from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and a Ph.D. in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology from the University of California, Los Angeles. He is a co-author of The Importance of Being Observant: A Collection of Case Studies to Teach the Fundamentals of Biology. Morris lives in Southern California with his wife and two children.
Michael Dean Clark is an author of fiction and literary nonfiction whose academic work focuses on creative writing instruction and craft. He is the co-editor of Creative Writing in the Digital Age, Creative Writing Innovations, and Imaginative Teaching Through Creative Writing (Bloomsbury) as well as the editor of the memoir Black Was Not a Label (Red Hen Press). A 2021 notable in Best American Essays, his work has appeared in Jabberwock Review, The Other Journal, Pleiades, Drunk Monkeys, and Angel City Review among others. Clark lives and works in Southern California.