Book Review - Science Under Siege: How to Fight the Five Most Powerful Forces That Threaten Our World

Title: Science Under Siege: How to Fight the Five Most Powerful Forces That Threaten Our World

Author: Michael E. Mann, Peter J. Hotez
My Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍
My Review: Pending...

Description (Audible): Two of the world’s most respected scientists reveal the forces behind the dangerous anti-science movement—and show us how to fight back. 

From pandemics to the climate crisis, humanity faces tougher challenges than ever. Whether it’s the health of our people or the health of our planet, we know we are on an unsustainable path. But our efforts to effectively tackle these existential crises are now hampered by a common threat: politically and ideologically motivated opposition to science.

Michael E. Mann and Peter J. Hotez are two of the most respected and well-known scientists in the world and have spent the last twenty years on the front lines of the battle to convey accurate, reliable, and trustworthy information about science in the face of determined and nihilistic opposition.

In this powerful manifesto, they reveal the five main forces threatening science: plutocrats, pros, petrostates, phonies, and the press. It is a call to arms and a road map for dismantling the forces of anti-science. Armed with the information in this book, we can be empowered to promote scientific truths, shine light on channels of dark money, dismantle the corporations poisoning the planet, and ultimately avert disaster.

Description (ChatGPT): “Science Under Siege” is an essential read — particularly for those who care about climate, public health, science communication, or democracy. It confronts a real crisis: not just that we may lack scientific knowledge, but that our ability to accept and act on that knowledge is under systemic threat. Mann and Hotez succeed at both diagnosing the problem and offering reasons for hope. If the book has a mission, it is to push us from helplessness into action. It may feel like a rallying cry, but it’s a rallying cry grounded in science.

If you're looking for something inspirational and deeply informed, this will meet (or exceed) expectations. If you're hoping for a blueprint with all obstacles already overcome, you might find some parts frustrating. But perhaps that’s the point: the work is not done, and this book insists we become part of it.