Scientific prizes don’t come without public money | Sarah Main
There's a hair care advert that says "There's more to life than hair" but it's a good place to start." I have been pondering the science equivalent in recent weeks. There surely is more to life than science. But, my goodness, it's a good place to start. This very week, in 1986, British scientists were so worried about the fate of science in this country that they placed a full page ad in the Times calling on the public to "ask your Member of Parliament to help save British science before it is too late". The advert was paid for by contributions from 1,500 scientists across the country, long before the notion of crowdsourcing. This extraordinary uprising was prompted by a dire situation. The advert spoke of "science in crisis", "opportunities missed", "scientists emigrate", "whole areas of research in jeopardy". In a time of swingeing cuts to universities and a falling science budget, scientists felt they needed a voice to stand up for science in parliament. The pressure group Save British Science was founded, later renamed the Campaign for Science and Engineering, and we have strived to provide that voice ever since. So was science saved? Does it still need saving?
Related: Science is vital if Britain is to prosper - make sure your MP knows that
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