Science marches on

As a physics teacher for 20 years, I've educated many people about our universe and the scientific method which allows us to understand it. Science has yielded wonders only dreamed of in ages past. We can heal the sick, communicate almost instantly with those half a world away, view the surfaces of distant planets through artificial eyes, peer into the birth of the cosmos itself, and probe the most profound mysteries of life with regularity. But science isn't just about what we can do now; it's also about what kind of legacy we leave to future generations.

We are in a time when many of us seem afraid of the very endeavor which has allowed humanity to make so much progress. Some ignore clear evidence that humans contribute to global warming. Others deceive themselves into thinking that lifesaving vaccines are unnecessary. Many turn a blind eye to our place in the evolutionary tapestry of all life on Earth, and some are convinced that "nuclear power" is a dirty word. Meanwhile, the cynical sneer that science is "just another way of thinking," ironically doing so using technology developed by the very method they so disdain.

This is why this past Saturday, multitudes of scientists and concerned citizens from all over the planet came together in the first global March For Science. We have collectively come to recognize that too many of our political leaders choose to allow ideology to trump science. This is a development that should concern us all, because the universe is wholly indifferent to our opinions, and when we choose to ignore science the consequences can be dire. If you believe as we do, then join us, because the March For Science was just the beginning.

Matthew Lowry

Mundelein