Science and the Media - the good, the bad and the ugly

Speaker: Simon Singh

Science impacts on society more than ever before, so it is crucial that media reporting is accurate, insightful and informative, rather than distorted, scaremongering and sensationalist. Simon Singh examines TV and print journalism to discuss the forces at work behind the scenes. He will also discuss the current campaign for libel reform in the United Kingdom and how the libel laws affect scientists and science journalists around the world. In particular, he will show clips from his documentary about Fermat's Last Theorem, the most notorious problem in the history of mathematics, and discuss how the film was constructed.

After completing a PhD in particle physics at Cambridge, Simon Singh joined the BBC science department and worked on 'Tomorrow's World' and 'Horizon' - his documentary about Fermat's Last Theorem won a BAFTA in 1996. In 1997 he authored 'Fermat's Last Theorem', the first book about mathematics to become a No.1 bestseller in the UK. Since then he has published 'The Code Book', 'Big Bang' and 'Trick or Treatment? Alternative Medicine on Trial'. He has also presented 'Mind Games' on BBC4 and 'Five Numbers' and 'Five Particles' on BBC Radio 4. He has written for several national newspapers and magazines. In April of 2008, Singh wrote a column in The Guardian, resulting in him being sued for libel by the British Chiropractic Association. The BCA officially withdrew its lawsuit in 2010, ending the case.

Wikipedia on Simon Singh.

Simon Singh is invited to Oslo by the Skeptic conference Kritisk masse (29-31 October).

Published Aug. 31, 2010 3:04 PM - Last modified May 25, 2012 9:42 AM