Monthly Planet October 2004

Science Loses Some Friends Francis Crick, Thomas Gold, and Philip Abelson

By Iain Murray

he scientifi c world lost three impor- Throughout his career, Abelson used which suggests that the universe and Ttant fi gures in recent weeks, as scientifi c principles to determine genu- the laws of physics have always existed Francis Crick, Thomas Gold, and Philip ine new developments from hype and in the same, steady state. This has since Abelson have all passed away. In their publicity stunts (he was famously dis- been supplanted as the dominant cos- careers, each demonstrated the best that missive of the scientifi c value of the race mological paradigm by the Big Bang science has to offer humanity. Their loss to the moon). In that, he should prove a theory. illustrates how much worse off the state role model for true scientists. After working at the Royal Greenwich of science is today than during their Observatory, Gold moved to the United glory years. Thomas Gold States to become Professor of Astron- Astronomer Thomas Gold had an omy at Harvard. From there he moved Philip Abelson equally distinguished career, in fi elds as to Cornell, where he demonstrated that Philip Abelson was a scientist of truly diverse as engineering, physiology, and the newly discovered “pulsar” phenom- broad talents. One of America’s fi rst cosmology; and he was never afraid of enon must contain a rotating neutron nuclear physicists, he discovered the being called a maverick. A fellow of both star (a star more massive than the sun element Neptunium and designed the the Royal Society and the National Acad- but just 10 km in diameter). As one nation’s fi rst nuclear submarine. Later emy of Sciences, Gold received honorary obituarist pointed out, this “opened the in his career, he pioneered research degrees from both Cambridge and Har- door for [Stephen] Hawking,” since it is into the e. coli bacterium. His research vard and founded the Cornell Center for just a short step from accepting neutron endeavors spanned the fi elds of chem- stars to accepting black holes. istry, physics, biology, biochemistry, Later in his career, during the energy and engineering; but when in 1959 he crisis of the 70s, Gold advanced another was elected to the National Academy of Like Abelson, Gold controversial theory, that of the “abi- Sciences he chose to be recognized as a otic” origin of oil. Based on Russian the- geologist. was personally ories from the 1950s, Gold argued that It was as editor of Science that Abel- skeptical of global hydrocarbons are not the remnants of son became most widely known, taking dead animal life, but the product of high the helm of the infl uential journal in warming alarmism, temperatures and pressures during the 1962 and steering it through a course Earth’s formation. Detailed in his book, in which its circulation doubled by the warning of the “herd The Deep Hot Biosphere, the theory time he fi nally relinquished control in instinct of science.” answered several puzzles, such as why 1984. He remained associated with the biologically inert helium is always pres- magazine, and his strict adherence to ent in petroleum deposits. His theory scientifi c principles led him to be an received some validation when a Swed- early questioner of the case for global Radiophysics and Space Research. ish exploration found oil in non-sedi- warming alarmism. In a lead editorial in Despite being interned for his Austrian mentary rock, where it would have been the magazine dated March 31, 1990, he birth during World War II, Gold ended impossible for plant or animal remains wrote, “[I]f the [global warming] situa- up becoming Chief Scientifi c Adviser to to have settled. Nevertheless, the theory tion is analyzed applying the customary the British Ministry of Defense, where remains controversial today. standards of scientifi c inquiry one must he was assigned to undertake secret Like Abelson, Gold was personally conclude that there has been more hype research on radar issues following his skeptical of global warming alarmism, than solid fact.” release. Working at the Admiralty with warning of the “herd instinct of science,” Yet Abelson was no mere conservative fellow former internee Herman Bondi something that those who advance the refusing to accept new ideas. Under his and a young scientist named Fred “scientifi c consensus” argument in its editorship, Science published most of Hoyle, Gold and his colleagues extrapo- favor would do well to remember. the groundbreaking papers establishing lated from the electron dynamics of the the idea of plate tectonics. As he himself radar’s magnetron to cosmological prin- Francis Crick said, “Within the scientifi c enterprise, ciples. Together, the three propounded Francis Crick, co-discoverer of the there are always new developments.” the “steady state” theory of the universe, structure of DNA with James Watson, 4 www.cei.org Monthly Planet October 2004 was by far the most famous of the three. Before he met Watson, his scientifi c career was undistinguished, but fol- Meet CEI’s lowing their research, Crick was able to turn to Watson in The Eagle pub in Cambridge, England on February 28, Experts 1953, and say, “We’ve found the secret of life.” John Berlau Crick moved from genetics to neuro- science, in which fi eld he published two important works, What Mad Pursuit John Berlau, CEI’s 2004-2005 and The Astonishing Hypothesis. Like Warren Brookes Journalism Gold, Crick was not afraid to embrace Fellow, comes to CEI from Insight magazine, where he was an investiga- controversial theories, being a leading tive reporter. He graduated from the University of Missouri in 1994, with a proponent of the theory of panspermia, double major in journalism and economics. He recently told Monthly Planet which suggests that life originated in about himself. space. Unlike Abelson and Gold, how- ever, Crick did believe that global warm- What’s the most memorable story you’ve done? ing posed a serious problem for the world. There are two that stand out. The fi rst was my interview with the late Ray Crick’s career is interesting not just Charles. In addition to his great talent as a musician, he was a great—and for his monumental discoveries, but thrifty—businessman, negotiating all his contracts to his advantage. I found also for the way in which he conducted out he also had a couple of things in common with Milton Friedman—both his research. When he met Watson, he were innovators at the top of their fi elds, and both called reporters collect. was supposed to be researching various minor matters concerning fl uid viscos- The other was a bit scarier. In the midst of investigating the fi nancial deal- ity—so, despite being paid to do what ings of Clinton IRS Commissioner Charles Rossotti, the IRS chief of media is now called “basic research,” his most relations sent out an email—which I got hold of through sources I can’t important research came as a result of disclose—that called me a “very persistent, very aggressive, very nasty his own interest. Later, as a result of reporter.” I had doggedly and aggressively pursued the story, though I was his fame, Crick turned to neuroscience always polite and never nasty. Hearing that there was an email about me in order to provide scientifi c answers going through the IRS pipelines was a bit frightening, but I kept at the story to questions more usually thought of as and eventually won an award for investigative reporting. religious. He was not beholden to public funds, and so could tackle questions that What areas would you like to cover as a Warren Brookes Fellow? public funding would shy away from—a lesson that advocates of greater govern- I would like to focus on the increasing regulation of the stock market, particu- ment involvement in scientifi c research larly its effect on new and emerging companies. Several companies, includ- should keep in mind. ing Microsoft and Home Depot, started out as small fi rms and employed With the death of three scientists innovative methods to become leaders in their fi elds because they were happy to plough their own furrows able to go public and raise capital with relative ease. Unfortunately, it has rather than follow the “herd” Gold iden- become harder to raise the capital needed to innovate, with the imposi- tifi ed, science becomes a little poorer. tion of Clinton-era regulations, the reversal of deregulatory measures of the Similar towering intellects with the cour- Reagan years, and the Sarbanes-Oxley bill passed in the wake of Enron. age to stand up for science, like Freeman Dyson, are aging. It is hard to see from What is the most important lesson you’ve learned as a journalist? where their successors will come. The world will be diminished if the dominant If you don’t understand, ask. Because if you don’t understand, chances are, scientifi c fi gures in the coming years fi t your readers won’t either. Often when you ask basic questions, you can get the mold of Sir David King, Tony Blair’s intriguing insight for a story. heavily politicized Chief Scientifi c Adviser, than the sadly broken mold of Any other interests? Abelson, Gold, and Crick. I have long had an interest in music. Along with Ray Charles, I have inter- Iain Murray ([email protected]) is a viewed such greats as the late Lionel Hampton, Diana Krall, the late Chet Senior Fellow at CEI, where he special- Atkins, and many others; and I have made road trips to see several of my izes in the debate over climate change favorites—most recently rockabilly pioneer Wanda Jackson. and the use and abuse of science in the political process. 5 www.cei.org