Should science writers (and scientists) be globe-trotting?

By Brian Clegg

In their The Studies Show podcast The Science of Johann Hari, the excellent Stuart Ritchie and Tom Chivers point out the entertaining way the blurbs for former journalist Hari’s books boast about his epic journeys to interview scientists. These include ‘Confused, he set out on a three-year, thirty-thousand mile journey to discover what really causes addiction – and how to solve it.’ (Chasing the Scream) and ‘Finding the answer to this high-stakes question led him on a journey from Iceland to Minneapolis to Tokyo…’ (Magic Pill). Ritchie and Chivers also include a claim for another book with a forty-thousand mile journey, though this seems to have disappeared.

The podcasters point out that these ‘epic journeys’ seem to have consisted of flying to a few places to interview people. But I think there’s a more worrying issue in a globally heating world – what was the point of making the journeys in the first place? All he appears to have done was interview people. I have interviewed people around the world, but I have not flown for over 25 years. For example, back in 2013 I interviewed the late Steven Weinberg for a piece in the Observer. No flying was required. It may be a surprise to epic journey takers, but we have these amazing devices now called telephones and video calls. 

If I’m honest, I think we can broaden this not just to other science writers and journalists, but also to scientists in general. It feels decidedly hypocritical when climate scientists in particular travel around the world to attend a conference, but the same applies to all scientists. (In fact, all academic disciplines.) Incidentally, it’s strange how often conferences are in exotic locations that don’t necessarily have any connection to the topic. Of course there are many legitimate reasons for writers and scientists to fly. It may be to get to the right place to undertake an experiment, or to investigate something that is happening, for example. But it is hard to justify doing so just to talk to other people.

I accept that calls and video conferences are not quite as good as being there in person. But this is a matter of balancing the positive and negative impact. When those of us who write about science or undertake it make long-distance travel to have conversations part of our jobs, we are, like it or not, setting a visible example that climate change doesn’t really matter. It’s surely time that we put globe-trotting behind us if we really believe there is a global heating crisis.

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Now Appearing is the blog of science writer Brian Clegg (www.brianclegg.net), author of Inflight Science, Before the Big Bang and The God Effect.