Science could enable a fascist future. Especially if we don’t learn from the past

We need to reckon honestly with science’s past and present to avoid a grim futureScience is in crisis. Funding infrastructures for both basic and applied research are being systematically decimated, while in places of great power, science’s influence on decision making is waning. Long-term and far-reaching studies are being shuttered, and thousands of scientists’ livelihoods are uncertain, to say nothing of the incalculable casualties resulting from the abrupt removal of life-saving medical and environmental interventions. Understandably, the scientific community is working hard to weather this storm and restore funding to whatever extent possible.In times like these, it may be tempting to settle for the status quo of six months ago, wanting everything simply to go back to what it was (no doubt an improvement for science, compared with the present). But equally, such moments of crisis offer an opportunity to rebuild differently. As Arundhati Roy wrote about Covid-19 in April 2020, “Historically, pandemics have forced humans to break with the past and imagine their world anew. This one is no different. It is a portal, a gateway between one world and the next.” What could science look like, and what good could science bring, if we moved through the portal of the present moment into a different world?Ambika Kamath is trained as a behavioral ecologist and evolutionary biologist. She lives, works and grows community in Oakland, California, on Ohlone landMelina Packer is assistant professor of race, gender and sexuality Studies at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, on Ho-Chunk Nation land. She is the author of Toxic Sexual Politics: Toxicology, Environmental Poisons, and Queer Feminist Futures Continue reading...

Comments

Tech news

The Verge

Tonight is the best night for stargazing all summer - with TWO meteor showers, a crescent moon and Mars all visible in the night sky

about 6 hours ago

Eau de ovulation: Women smell more attractive to men during their fertile period, study finds

Dailymail

Comments

Similar News

BBC Inside Science

BBC Inside Science

BBC Inside Science

BBC Inside Science

BBC Inside Science

Edinburgh University’s ‘skull room’ highlights its complicated history with racist science

Revealed: What your favourite way of eating EGGS says about you, according to science - and it's bad news for people who prefer them boiled

Science journal pulls controversial study about bizarre life form

Can Sexual Satisfaction Help You Age Better? Science Says Yes

What the smell of your BREATH says about you, according to science

A science journal pulled a controversial study about a bizarre life form against the authors' wishes

Science says you can really die from a broken heart

This week in science: ocean spiders, baby planets and the odds of having a boy or a girl

National Science Foundation staff decry Trump’s ‘politically motivated’ cuts

BBC Inside Science

The Burning Man Of Brain Science And How Croatia Became Ground Zero For AI’s Next Breakthoughs

The secret science that shows astrology actually works – and how to use it to get rich today

‘Mystery pulse’ spotted 25 miles ABOVE Antarctica is ‘unknown to science’ as baffled experts say they ‘don’t understand’

Death of the alpha male as science reveals who really holds power in the battle of the sexes

The ultimate karaoke songs, according to science - so, is YOUR favourite on the list?

Tech news

Yet another Pixel 6A caught fire

Women&#8217;s &#8216;red flag&#8217; app Tea is a privacy nightmare

Robot tosses water bottle into barrel from across the room to pass key disaster relief test

AI Will Replace Coaches And Most Don't Know Why

What All Is Jensen Huang Really Saying About AI?

Kratos Platoons Power Champion Tire Logistics At NASCAR Brickyard 400

Drunk Driving Jump Tied To Mental Health And Police Cuts, Report Shows

First-Ever Fault Rupture Captured On Video During Myanmar Earthquake

Your Whistle pet tracker will stop working next month

Derecho fears grip four US states as darkness descends and ominous warnings ring out

BBC Inside Science

Trying to keep your brain young? A big new study finds these lifestyle changes help

MG IM5 And IM6 Test Driven: Tesla’s Model 3 And Y Beaten At Last?

Shelter Dog’s ‘Superman’ Cameo Leads To Adoptions Of Other Super Dogs

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Price Slashed In Rare Double Offer

Microsoft starts rolling out Xbox age verification in the UK

Star Trek, superheroes, and lots of Stephen King: the best of SDCC 2025

Scientists discover two alarming new seasons on Earth that return every year

Largest earthquake swarm ever recorded at massive US volcano

Urgent warning as 200 million Americans targeted with 'how are you' messages

The UK is slogging through an online age-gate apocalypse

Microsoft Edge transforms into an AI browser with new Copilot Mode

Why Your Brand Is Your Only Defense Against AI's Sea Of Sameness

This $120 Million Startup’s AI Will Teach You How To Suck Less At Security

Business At An Inflection Point: Will You Evolve Or Reinvent?

Amazon’s New Kindle Colorsoft Has Lower Price To Fix First Model’s Problem

The Weak Link: Hidden Chip Connections Crash Your Calls, Cars And Care

Sony details its &#8216;FlexStrike&#8217; wireless PS5 fight stick

Avatar: Fire and Ash brings war to Pandora in first trailer

Neuralink's first female patient reveals shocking effect of brain chip

'First words of Moses' inscribed in 3,800-year-old Egyptian mines could prove the Bible true

Study reveals the dog breeds most prone to being OVERWEIGHT - so, is your pup on the list?

Tonight is the best night for stargazing all summer - with TWO meteor showers, a crescent moon and Mars all visible in the night sky

Eau de ovulation: Women smell more attractive to men during their fertile period, study finds

Full list of ‘data hungry’ apps that are spying on you

Jeff Bezos has sold $5.7 billion worth of Amazon stock since star-studded Venice wedding

4 Reasons Why Every Couple Needs A ‘Third Place’ — By A Psychologist

Legal Action Over ‘Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle’ Leaks Begins Soon

New FBI Warning — Windows And Linux Users Must Apply 2FA Now

Unfortunately, You Watched ‘Fantastic Four’ The Wrong Way This Weekend

OpenEvidence’s Meteoric Rise Is Huge For Doctors

How Are Labor Unions Negotiating AI, Surveillance, And Digital Tech?

Hulu’s Best New Show Lands A 100% Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Beyond The Bedroom: The Truth About Sexual Health, Intimacy, And Aging

141 Million-File Data Breach Reveals Bank Statements And Crypto Keys

America’s Heartland Responds To AI

NYT Connections Today: Tuesday, July 29 Hints And Answers (#779)

NYT Strands Hints For Tuesday, July 29: Today’s Spangram And Answers (You Got That Right)

‘Quordle’ Hints And Answers For Tuesday, July 29

Netflix’s Old ‘Jeffrey Epstein’ Series Is Surging Due To ‘Epstein List’ Release Demands

FBI Warns All Smartphone Users—Never Send These Texts

iPadOS 26 Public Beta Brings Stage Manager To More iPads: Is Your iPad On The List?

U.S. To Open Domestic Supply Of Critical Minerals From Mine Waste

Destiny 2: The Edge Of Fate’s Portal Cannot Sustain The Game

Auto Part Of U.S. – EU Tariff Deal Gets Mixed Reception

Mario Kart World and other Switch 2 games are 10 percent off

ChatGPT can be a disaster for lawyers — Robin AI says it can fix that

Women’s ‘red flag’ app Tea is a privacy nightmare

Sony details its ‘FlexStrike’ wireless PS5 fight stick

Temu users face a ‘high risk’ of finding illegal products, EU says