Myths in science

Abstract

‘Fabulous Science: Fact and Fiction in the History of Scientific Discovery’ by John Waller Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK 320 pages, £18.99 ISBN 0 192 80404 9 ![][1] We all like stories that feature a positive hero fighting evil or ignorance, with whom we can easily identify or hold up as a good example to a younger generation. We may even be tempted to ‘improve’ a story for greater impact to make the hero more positive and outstanding, especially when the person concerned is someone as special as ourselves. Indeed, we scientists are not much different to others, so it should come as no surprise that many popular science stories have been frequently ‘ameliorated’, either by journalists and biography authors who simply wanted to tell a fascinating account, or by direct participants who wished to improve their image and highlight their own contribution. And multiple rephrasing of this ‘improved’ story in sequential editions of books and science dictionaries causes the myth to become reality. As scientists, however, in addition to a good story, we also like to know the truth, … [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif