Worship Science, weave it into your daily lives

The exhibits are in good shape and keep most kids engaged though upgrades might help liven things up

The auditorium at the Nehru Science Centre at Mahalaxmi in Mumbai was incandescent with the brightest minds in the field of Science as a National Conference on India in Space and Nuclear Energy brought luminaries together, a report in this paper said.

It was heartening to see a packed hall and distinguished speakers take solace from the fact that Science is having its most visible moments now. No longer is it relegated to the musty-dusty corners of the niche Science section of a library. No longer does the 'nerd' have to be satisfied with a few words in the corner of a newspaper. Thanks to the largescale awareness and the way it has captured the imagination of the layperson, it is now in mainstream movies and on the front pages of newspapers.

Let us channel this new and welcome visibility to reap benefits in real life. It is for the public to develop a more scientific temperament. Hone your ability to question, be skeptical, ask for proof and be cynical about nonsensical claims which dominate our society.

So often we read and hear about people being fooled by tricksters, all kinds of healers, magic mantras and ludicrous miracles. They lose their money, their health, their dignity and esteem and sometimes, even their life, believing in bogus cures and antidotes that harm rather than do any good.

What is the use of celebrating lunar missions, packing in movie theaters with scientific themes and reading in awe about scientific achievements if we do not weave this into our everyday lives? Not all of us can become scientists or be part of the adrenaline pumping breakthrough in science, one that may very well change the world. We can, however, learn from the lofty and apply it to our ordinary lives. Worship and root for Science, not the charlatan.

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