Science for Celebrities

People in the public eye are often drawn into promoting theories, therapies, and campaigns that make no scientific sense. This leaflet shows how easily some mistakes could have been avoided. Now it’s possible to check the facts before going public. Hundreds of scientists from many fields are available to help you get it right for the public. It costs a phone call.

In the first week of January 2007, we released Sense About… Science for Celebrities, a leaflet that was elegantly abridged by the Sun: ‘Profs rap dim stars’! Download the leaflet (pdf) and read about Madonna’s, Joanna Lumley’s and Chris de Burgh’s brushes with nuclear physics, oncology and physiology.

Here is some of the coverage:

Stars urged to check facts (real player)
Tracey Brown, Director of Sense About Science, on
Radio 4’s Today programme, 3rd January 2007

Stars must ‘check science facts’
BBC Online, 3rd January 2007

Neutralise radiation and stay off milk: the truth about celebrity health claims
James Randerson, Science Correspondent
The Guardian, 3rd January 2007

Celebrities told to embrace the facts, not bad science
By Mark Henderson, Science Correspondent
The Times, 3rd January 2007

Scientists warn about celebrity mumbo-jumbo
by Nic Flemming, Science Correspondent
The Telegraph, 3rd January 2007

Celebrities sent to the back of the science class
Clive Cookson, Science Editor
The Financial Times, 3rd January 2007

Profs rap dim stars
The Sun, 3rd January 2007

Academics ask celebs to button it
by John Dunne
The London Paper, 3rd Jaunary 2007

Quackers! Science v celebrity
by Michael Hanlon, Science Editor
The Daily Mail, 4th January 2007

I’m A Celebrity, Let Me Give You Some Inaccurate Advice
by Sarah Freeman
The Yorkshire Post, 4th January 2007

Last updated: January 09 2008

Sense About Science is an independent charitable trust promoting good science and evidence in public debates. We do this by promoting respect for evidence and by urging scientists to engage actively with a wide range of groups, particularly when debates are controversial or difficult. We work with scientists to respond to inaccuracies in public claims about science, medicine, and technology; promote the benefits of scientific research to the public; help those who need expert help contact scientists about issues of importance; brief non-specialists on scientific developments and practices. Sense About Science is governed by a Board of Trustees and run by a small office staff. We are supported by an Advisory Council and some 1,000 scientists and other specialists, ranging from Nobel Laureates to postdoctoral fellows, who are signed up to our database, Evidence Base. We also work with younger scientists in our VoYS (Voice of Young Science) programme, which you can read more about here.