Focus on science

There have been two stories of scientific investigation in the news recently: a super supernova and a new skin repair technique. Both should be used as illustrations for students to show what science can and can’t do.

A 7-year-old boy has had his skin’s faulty genetics repaired with stem cell technology and he no longer suffers from painful blistering skin.

The technology was not even a thought in the Star Trek future of the 1960s when I studied science at school. What will those at school now see by the time they retire – apart from probably more Star Trek?

The other story of a supernova that has erupted and reerupted is a valuable tale in that it shows that science cannot yet and may never be able to solve a number of questions. The future is again unclear.

There is a general worldwide decline in the number of students studying science and especially in the more difficult sciences, but why? There are still the same number of capa- ble students, but maybe they don’t see the value of it as most scientists are underpaid and certainly under appreciated.

If we are to have the scientists we need then the work they do needs to be publicised far more widely and prominently and that is the job of our media.

DENNIS FITZGERALD Landale Street, Melbourne,

Australia