"why I thought there might be equation is that races [organisms?] favoured by being fitted best for their continuence onward, would therefore survive by being better able/less hindered to perpetuate progeny. yes, I know i'm saying the same thing in two different ways, but that is the point I am suggesting."

Jesus H. Christ.


"A pressed dinner jacket* ...

* Never buy one with a stripe down the leg."

Huh?

I haven't worn dinner jacket for over thirty years. Not my sort of social; the sort of alpha males you get at those dos are so laughable and full of shite it makes me wince.

"BMW fairy eventually granted me some wishes.."

Ugh. Give me a Morris traveller or a camper van. Or a bus service at night and on Sundays.

"Tell them you won the Tag Heuer Monaco in a game of cards"

Is this something to do with horse racing?


"It behoves scientists to find good ways of communicating with non-scientists..."

Too true. This is a real issue and there is a problem with science communication, but it's worth understanding why this situation exists. For starters, funding has been cut too the quick and many researchers, especially PhD candidates and post docs have to fight hard to get funding for their work, let alone out reach.

Secondly, dumbing down is not the answer for any number of reasons. Howard is correct that the general usage of a word like 'theory' is different to the more technical definition that a scientists has in mind when they use term; however the general usage is still wrong in many cases and this should be made clear. The press has a part in this, as Paxman demonstrated earlier in the week when Prof. Alice attempted to correct him on his misunderstanding of the term only for her to be interrupted by Paxo mid-sentence.

I can't speak for other disciplines but in palaeontology there is a heck of a lot of outreach that goes on at a local level. This isn't the flash TV kind but showing the public and especially kids actual scientific research and answering the myriad of questions asked about our work and it's a vital part of getting folk engaged with what we do and why it is relevant to their everyday lives.