I have not read the book that is being discussed here but while reading through the whole post, the paragraph below caught my attention.
Part of the appeal of the blogosphere is that it provides people like scientists with the tools to provide content for interested netizens. Whether or not there is a huge public demand for descriptions of newly discovered dinosaurs, discussions of new neurological research, or debates about string theory, scientists can put these options on the table and trust that the interested non-scientists will (with the help of a search engine) find them. Since most blogging is done without regard to profit margins, hundreds of thousands of flowers of scientific content can bloom. While it’s true that there will be cranks and snake oil sales teams putting out “science” content, too, blogging scientists can also provide some online advice for non-scientists as far as evaluating the credibility of scientific information on the internet (and elsewhere).Another bit that had me nodding in agreement is this:
One of the most interesting features of the science blogosphere is that it puts scientists on display as actual human beings, with personalities, senses of humor, various interests beyond their professional focus, and human frailties. When they only see (or imagine) scientists in official contexts, non-scientists can forget that scientists are people, too. Being reminded of this fact might to a lot to make non-scientists seek out engagement with scientists.That is the main reason why I read science blog; not only for the information but that it reminds me that scientists are humans, with human failings. Over all, I think it’s a good read and I might even consider getting the book, for a better understanding of the issue.
