Publisher's Synopsis
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.
