London Zoo "Leeds Disunited" (357, 614; 1992) on the Public Understanding of Science, Leaves Me No Option

CORRESPONDENCE

against Nature. But your leading article European Communities, the Committee London Zoo "Leeds Disunited" (357, 614; 1992) on the Public Understanding of Science, leaves me no option. It refers to an the Max Planck Society and similar high allegation about scientific misconduct re level research agencies in the major crippled ported to me last September that led European countries. The programme is SIR - Your leading article (Nature 357, ultimately to an investigation by a trio of called EICOS (European Initiative for 613; 1992) repeats familiar but unsub eminent scientists, two from this uni Communicators of Science) and will be stantiated charges against the council of versity and one from an internationally open to established science reporters the Zoological Society of London. As renowned medical school in London. from all the countries of Europe and all Lord Zuckerman points out in the same The panel followed guidelines modelled branches of the media (newspapers, issue (357, 621; 1992), cash flow prob on those recommended by the Royal magazines, radio, television and free lems began in the 1960s and continued College of Physicians and it reported in lance), as well as to editors and broad through to the 1980s. Acknowledging March. The essence of the Royal Col cast producers. London Zoo's status as a national in lege guidelines is that any such inquiry Byron H. Waksman stitution, government gave occasional should be confidential. (Program Director, EICOS) grants to restore operating losses, while In the event, the panel reported that Science Writing Fellowships Program, other national zoos received large annual the balance of evidence supported the Marine Biological Laboratory, subsidies. The zoo management has nev view that there had been fraud (albeit of Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, USA er been perfect but few if any capital a minor nature) by a junior scientist and zoos can match London's record of rais I wish to say only that appropriate action ing 80 per cent of its costs from visitor has been taken by the university. As far revenues. as we are concerned, the matter ends Einstein's beliefs You ignore Zuckerman's clear state there. SIR - Many people asked Albert Ein ment that the 1988 settlement of flO Any attempt to relate this incident by stein about his religious views and I, million from the government was con inference to the entirely separate situa when a US Navy ensign in 1945, was one ditional upon acceptance of a new man tion at Leeds General Infirmary betrays of them. On 2 July 1945, in response to a agement with, as you say, "an entre a post hoc ergo propter hoc style of letter from me quoting an acquaintance preneurial cast of mind". The council reasoning that I would have thought who claimed that a Jesuit priest had had little part in this - even the chief inimical to the scientific standards convinced Einstein that a supreme intel executive was chosen by the govern espoused by your journal. The remarks lect governs the Universe, Einstein de ment. in the last paragraph of your leading nied ever having spoken to a Jesuit As for pricing ourselves out of the article are likely to work against the priest and said: "From the viewpoint of a market, where else can you get a full day scientists whose integrity you appear to Jesuit priest I am, of course, and have out for £6, the price of a cinema seat? wish to protect. always been an atheist.. .. " The Report on London Zoo published J. J. Walsh Five years later, on 25 September by the Select Committee on the Environ (Registrar) 1949, I wrote again: ". . . [In your let ment in June 1991 gives comparative The University, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK ter'] You say that 'From the viewpoint of entrance prices for other visitor attrac a Jesuit priest I am, and have always tions and London Zoo is shown to be been, an atheist'. Some people might highly competitive. Few zoos today Nonpersons interpret that to mean that to a Jesuit make a profit, and it is disingenuous to priest, anyone not a Roman Catholic is make unfavourable comparisons with SIR - If we are led to believe (Nature an atheist, and that you are in fact an provincial zoos whose situation is utterly 357,425; 1992) that an eight-cell blasto orthodox Jew, or a Deist, or something different. mere cannot be considered a person, else. Did you mean to leave room for Like many commentators, you seem then as a Christian I believe this to be such an interpretation, or are you from to equate London Zoo with the Zoolo totally incompatible with the biblical text the viewpoint of the dictionary an gical Society. Much as we all wish the concerning the Incarnation. To suggest atheist; i.e. 'one who disbelieves in the zoo to survive, it is not indispensable for that God become man at some arbitrary existence of a God, or Supreme the work of the learned society, the future date would be ridiculous. Being?' ... " library, the scientific meetings, publica Anthony Gannon Einstein's response, dated 28 Septem tions, the research laboratories and of Division of Quantum Metrology, ber 1949, says:" ... I have repeatedly course Whipsnade. It is much to the National Physical Laboratory, said that in my opinion the idea of a credit of the government that it appreci Teddington, Middlesex, UK personal God is a childlike one. You ated the distinction in 1988 and guaran may call me an agnostic, but I do not teed an annual grant of £1.3 million share the crusading spirit of the profes (indexed) to support the research of the sional atheist whose fervor is mostly due Institute of Zoology four years before Journalists in labs to a painful act of liberation from the biodiversity became a political byword. SIR - Jonathan Stamford (Nature 357, fetters of religious indoctrination re Barry Cross 10; 1992) comments on the need to find ceived in youth. I prefer an attitude of (Secretary) means of placing journalists in suitable humility corresponding to the weakness Zoological Society of London, laboratories for a period of weeks, so of our intellectual understanding of na Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK that they "might then appreciate not ture and of our own being." only how scientists think and interact but Guy H. Raner Jr the nature of the research process". 22244-2 James Alan Circle, Your readers will be interested to Chatsworth, California 91311-7137, USA No connection learn that a programme designed to do with the assistance of SIR - There is much talk these days of exactly what Stamford suggests will be Lawrence S. Lerner irresponsible and misleading reporting in initiated in April 1993 at the Max Planck Department of Physics and Astronomy, the media and I had not imagined that I Institutes of Biochemistry and Psychiatry California State University, Long Beach, should be writing to level such a charge in Munich, with the endorsement of the Long Beach, California 90840, USA 102 NATURE· VOL358 . 9JULY1992