TED2018
Kirsty Duncan: Scientists must be free to learn, to speak and to challenge
Filmed:
Readability: 4.6
1,281,799 views
"You do not mess with something so fundamental, so precious, as science," says Kirsty Duncan, Canada's first Minister of Science. In a heartfelt, inspiring talk about pushing boundaries, she makes the case that researchers must be free to present uncomfortable truths and challenge the thinking of the day -- and that we all have a duty to speak up when we see science being stifled or suppressed.
Kirsty Duncan - Politician, scientist
Kirsty Duncan works for all Canadians to nurture science in Canada and encourages people of all ages to have inquisitive minds. Full bio
Kirsty Duncan works for all Canadians to nurture science in Canada and encourages people of all ages to have inquisitive minds. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
Let me tell you about rock snot.
0
920
3720
00:19
Since 1992, Dr. Max Bothwell,
1
7080
3536
00:22
a Government of Canada scientist,
2
10640
3016
00:25
has been studying a type of algae
that grows on rocks.
that grows on rocks.
3
13680
4936
00:30
Now, the very unscientific term
for that algae is rock snot,
for that algae is rock snot,
4
18640
6576
00:37
because as you can imagine,
5
25240
2416
00:39
it looks a lot like snot.
6
27680
2680
00:43
But scientists also call it
Didymosphenia geminata
Didymosphenia geminata
7
31080
5656
00:48
and for decades, this algae
has been sliming up riverbeds
has been sliming up riverbeds
8
36760
4336
00:53
around the world.
9
41120
2136
00:55
The problem with this algae
10
43280
2536
00:57
is that it is a threat to salmon, to trout
11
45840
3896
01:01
and the river ecosystems it invades.
12
49760
3656
01:05
Now, it turns out Canada's Dr. Bothwell
13
53440
3216
01:08
is actually a world expert in the field,
14
56680
4176
01:12
so it was no surprise in 2014
15
60880
4176
01:17
when a reporter contacted Dr. Bothwell
16
65080
3456
01:20
for a story on the algae.
17
68560
2520
01:23
The problem was, Dr. Bothwell
wasn't allowed to speak to the reporter,
wasn't allowed to speak to the reporter,
18
71880
6656
01:30
because the government of the day
wouldn't let him.
wouldn't let him.
19
78560
4736
01:35
110 pages of emails
20
83320
3416
01:38
and 16 government communication experts
21
86760
3936
01:42
stood in Dr. Bothwell's way.
22
90720
3160
01:46
Why couldn't Dr. Bothwell speak?
23
94800
3256
01:50
Well, we'll never know for sure,
24
98080
2816
01:52
but Dr. Bothwell's research did suggest
25
100920
3736
01:56
that climate change
may have been responsible
may have been responsible
26
104680
3856
02:00
for the aggressive algae blooms.
27
108560
2520
02:03
But who the heck would want to stifle
climate change information, right?
climate change information, right?
28
111920
7000
02:12
Yes, you can laugh.
29
120240
1816
02:14
It's a joke,
30
122080
1896
02:16
because it is laughable.
31
124000
1840
02:19
We know that climate change
is suppressed for all sorts of reasons.
is suppressed for all sorts of reasons.
32
127760
5416
02:25
I saw it firsthand
when I was a university professor.
when I was a university professor.
33
133200
4256
02:29
We see it when countries pull out
of international climate agreements
of international climate agreements
34
137480
5536
02:35
like the Kyoto Protocol
and the Paris Accord,
and the Paris Accord,
35
143040
4136
02:39
and we see it when industry fails
to meet its emissions reduction targets.
to meet its emissions reduction targets.
36
147200
5200
02:45
But it's not just climate change
information that's being stifled.
information that's being stifled.
37
153400
5296
02:50
So many other scientific issues
are obscured by alternate facts,
are obscured by alternate facts,
38
158720
6656
02:57
fake news and other forms of suppression.
39
165400
4776
03:02
We've seen it in the United Kingdom,
40
170200
2216
03:04
we've seen it in Russia,
41
172440
1936
03:06
we've seen it in the United States
42
174400
2616
03:09
and, until 2015,
43
177040
2736
03:11
right here in Canada.
44
179800
2680
03:15
In our modern technological age,
45
183840
2816
03:18
when our very survival
depends on discovery,
depends on discovery,
46
186680
4176
03:22
innovation and science,
47
190880
2776
03:25
it is critical, absolutely critical,
48
193680
4136
03:29
that our scientists are free
to undertake their work,
to undertake their work,
49
197840
4016
03:33
free to collaborate with other scientists,
50
201880
3296
03:37
free to speak to the media
51
205200
2576
03:39
and free to speak to the public.
52
207800
3016
03:42
Because after all,
53
210840
1776
03:44
science is humanity's best effort
at uncovering the truth
at uncovering the truth
54
212640
6056
03:50
about our world,
55
218720
1536
03:52
about our very existence.
56
220280
2736
03:55
Every new fact that is uncovered
57
223040
2656
03:57
adds to the growing body
of our collective knowledge.
of our collective knowledge.
58
225720
5816
04:03
Scientists must be free to explore
59
231560
3736
04:07
unconventional or controversial topics.
60
235320
4376
04:11
They must be free to challenge
the thinking of the day
the thinking of the day
61
239720
3656
04:15
and they must be free
62
243400
1296
04:16
to present uncomfortable
or inconvenient truths,
or inconvenient truths,
63
244720
6360
04:24
because that's how scientists
push boundaries
push boundaries
64
252400
2816
04:27
and pushing boundaries is, after all,
what science is all about.
what science is all about.
65
255240
5015
04:32
And here's another point:
66
260279
2097
04:34
scientists must be free to fail,
67
262400
4456
04:38
because even a failed hypothesis
teaches us something.
teaches us something.
68
266880
4856
04:43
And the best way I can explain that
is through one of my own adventures.
is through one of my own adventures.
69
271760
5176
04:48
But first I've got
to take you back in time.
to take you back in time.
70
276960
2960
04:53
It's the early 1900s
71
281000
2456
04:55
and Claire and Vera
are roommates in southern Ontario.
are roommates in southern Ontario.
72
283480
4000
05:00
One evening during the height
of the Spanish flu pandemic,
of the Spanish flu pandemic,
73
288520
4256
05:04
the two attend a lecture together.
74
292800
2440
05:08
The end of the evening,
they head for home and for bed.
they head for home and for bed.
75
296280
4056
05:12
In the morning, Claire calls up to Vera
76
300360
3216
05:15
and says she's going out to breakfast.
77
303600
2440
05:19
When she returns a short while later,
78
307080
3256
05:22
Vera wasn't up.
79
310360
1976
05:24
She pulls back the covers
80
312360
3016
05:27
and makes the gruesome discovery.
81
315400
2600
05:30
Vera was dead.
82
318720
2120
05:34
When it comes to Spanish flu,
83
322240
2336
05:36
those stories are common,
84
324600
2216
05:38
of lightning speed deaths.
85
326840
3536
05:42
Well, I was a professor in my mid-20s
86
330400
3096
05:45
when I first heard those shocking facts
87
333520
3576
05:49
and the scientist in me
wanted to know why and how.
wanted to know why and how.
88
337120
4400
05:55
My curiosity would lead me
to a frozen land
to a frozen land
89
343160
4096
05:59
and to lead an expedition
90
347280
2616
06:01
to uncover the cause
of the 1918 Spanish flu.
of the 1918 Spanish flu.
91
349920
4176
06:06
I wanted to test our current drugs against
one of history's deadliest diseases.
one of history's deadliest diseases.
92
354120
6256
06:12
I hoped we could make a flu vaccine
93
360400
2776
06:15
that would be effective against the virus
94
363200
3256
06:18
and mutation of it,
95
366480
1656
06:20
should it ever return.
96
368160
2240
06:24
And so I led a team, a research team,
97
372280
4736
06:29
of 17 men
98
377040
2536
06:31
from Canada, Norway, the United Kingdom
99
379600
3936
06:35
and the United States
100
383560
1856
06:37
to the Svalbard Islands
in the Arctic Ocean.
in the Arctic Ocean.
101
385440
4216
06:41
These islands are between
Norway and the North Pole.
Norway and the North Pole.
102
389680
4336
06:46
We exhumed six bodies
103
394040
2200
06:49
who had died of Spanish flu
and were buried in the permafrost
and were buried in the permafrost
104
397280
4176
06:53
and we hoped the frozen ground
would preserve the body and the virus.
would preserve the body and the virus.
105
401480
5240
06:59
Now, I know what you are all waiting for,
106
407600
2576
07:02
that big scientific payoff.
107
410200
3120
07:06
But my science story doesn't have
that spectacular Hollywood ending.
that spectacular Hollywood ending.
108
414240
5560
07:12
Most don't.
109
420800
1736
07:14
Truth is, we didn't find the virus,
110
422560
3816
07:18
but we did develop new techniques
111
426400
3176
07:21
to safely exhume bodies
112
429600
2616
07:24
that might contain virus.
113
432240
2080
07:26
We did develop new techniques
114
434920
2696
07:29
to safely remove tissue
115
437640
2576
07:32
that might contain virus.
116
440240
3016
07:35
And we developed new safety protocols
117
443280
3256
07:38
to protect our research team
and the nearby community.
and the nearby community.
118
446560
5656
07:44
We made important contributions to science
119
452240
3496
07:47
even though the contributions we made
120
455760
3496
07:51
were not the ones originally intended.
121
459280
3120
07:55
In science, attempts fail,
122
463280
3136
07:58
results prove inconclusive
123
466440
2616
08:01
and theories don't pan out.
124
469080
2440
08:04
In science,
125
472360
1360
08:07
research builds upon the work
and knowledge of others,
and knowledge of others,
126
475320
4176
08:11
or by seeing further,
127
479520
1536
08:13
by standing on the shoulders of giants,
128
481080
3016
08:16
to paraphrase Newton.
129
484120
2696
08:18
The point is, scientists must be free
130
486840
3616
08:22
to choose what they want to explore,
131
490480
4016
08:26
what they are passionate about
132
494520
2216
08:28
and they must be free
to report their findings.
to report their findings.
133
496760
3240
08:33
You heard me say
134
501200
1256
08:34
that respect for science
started to improve in Canada in 2015.
started to improve in Canada in 2015.
135
502480
6216
08:40
How did we get here?
136
508720
2016
08:42
What lessons might we have to share?
137
510760
3000
08:46
Well, it actually goes back
to my time as a professor.
to my time as a professor.
138
514520
4456
08:51
I watched while agencies, governments
and industries around the world
and industries around the world
139
519000
5576
08:56
suppressed information on climate change.
140
524600
4536
09:01
It infuriated me.
141
529160
2256
09:03
It kept me up at night.
142
531440
2256
09:05
How could politicians
twist scientific fact for partisan gain?
twist scientific fact for partisan gain?
143
533720
6280
09:13
So I did what anyone
appalled by politics would do:
appalled by politics would do:
144
541560
4656
09:18
I ran for office, and I won.
145
546240
3296
09:21
(Applause)
146
549560
6256
09:27
I thought I would use my new platform
147
555840
3536
09:31
to talk about the importance of science.
148
559400
3736
09:35
It quickly became a fight
for the freedom of science.
for the freedom of science.
149
563160
5336
09:40
After all, I was a scientist,
I came from the world under attack,
I came from the world under attack,
150
568520
5256
09:45
and I had personally felt the outrage.
151
573800
2920
09:50
I could be a voice
for those who were being silenced.
for those who were being silenced.
152
578800
4856
09:55
But I quickly learned
that scientists were nervous,
that scientists were nervous,
153
583680
4376
10:00
even afraid to talk to me.
154
588080
2736
10:02
One government scientist,
a friend of mine,
a friend of mine,
155
590840
2776
10:05
we'll call him McPherson,
156
593640
1560
10:08
was concerned about the impact
157
596920
2976
10:11
government policies
were having on his research
were having on his research
158
599920
4216
10:16
and the state of science
deteriorating in Canada.
deteriorating in Canada.
159
604160
4456
10:20
He was so concerned, he wrote to me
160
608640
3176
10:23
from his wife's email account
161
611840
2976
10:26
because he was afraid
a phone call could be traced.
a phone call could be traced.
162
614840
3616
10:30
He wanted me to phone
his wife's cell phone
his wife's cell phone
163
618480
4296
10:34
so that call couldn't be traced.
164
622800
3056
10:37
I only wish I were kidding.
165
625880
2040
10:41
It quickly brought what was happening
in Canada into sharp focus for me.
in Canada into sharp focus for me.
166
629200
6136
10:47
How could my friend of 20 years
be that afraid to talk to me?
be that afraid to talk to me?
167
635360
5200
10:53
So I did what I could at the time.
168
641360
2656
10:56
I listened and I shared what I learned
169
644040
3960
11:01
with my friend in Parliament,
170
649720
2536
11:04
a man who was interested
in all things environment, science,
in all things environment, science,
171
652280
3936
11:08
technology, innovation.
172
656240
2600
11:12
And then the 2015 election rolled around
173
660120
4056
11:16
and our party won.
174
664200
3176
11:19
And we formed government.
175
667400
2176
11:21
And that friend of mine
176
669600
1720
11:25
is now the Prime Minister
of Canada, Justin Trudeau.
of Canada, Justin Trudeau.
177
673120
3696
11:28
(Applause)
178
676840
5616
11:34
And he asked if I would serve
as his Minister of Science.
as his Minister of Science.
179
682480
4456
11:38
Together, with the rest of the government,
180
686960
2816
11:41
we are working hard to restore
science to its rightful place.
science to its rightful place.
181
689800
6056
11:47
I will never forget that day
in December 2015
in December 2015
182
695880
5416
11:53
when I proudly stood in Parliament
183
701320
3016
11:56
and proclaimed,
184
704360
1336
11:57
"The war on science is now over."
185
705720
3880
12:02
(Applause)
186
710720
5576
12:08
And I have worked hard
to back up those words with actions.
to back up those words with actions.
187
716320
4256
12:12
We've had many successes.
188
720600
2456
12:15
There's still more work to do,
189
723080
2120
12:18
because we're building this culture shift.
190
726640
2456
12:21
But we want our government scientists
to talk to the media, talk to the public.
to talk to the media, talk to the public.
191
729120
5936
12:27
It'll take time, but we are committed.
192
735080
3456
12:30
After all, Canada is seen
as a beacon for science internationally.
as a beacon for science internationally.
193
738560
6376
12:36
And we want to send a message
194
744960
2320
12:40
that you do not mess
with something so fundamental,
with something so fundamental,
195
748560
4256
12:44
so precious, as science.
196
752840
2800
12:49
So, for Dr. Bothwell, for Claire and Vera,
197
757680
5016
12:54
for McPherson and all those other voices,
198
762720
3576
12:58
if you see that science is being stifled,
suppressed or attacked,
suppressed or attacked,
199
766320
5816
13:04
speak up.
200
772160
1696
13:05
If you see that scientists
are being silenced, speak up.
are being silenced, speak up.
201
773880
5656
13:11
We must hold our leaders to account.
202
779560
3816
13:15
Whether that is
by exercising our right to vote,
by exercising our right to vote,
203
783400
3856
13:19
whether it is by penning
an op-ed in a newspaper
an op-ed in a newspaper
204
787280
4336
13:23
or by starting a conversation
on social media,
on social media,
205
791640
4856
13:28
it is our collective voice
that will ensure the freedom of science.
that will ensure the freedom of science.
206
796520
5976
13:34
And after all, science is for everyone,
207
802520
4616
13:39
and it will lead to a better,
brighter, bolder future for us all.
brighter, bolder future for us all.
208
807160
6736
13:45
Thank you.
209
813920
1216
13:47
(Applause)
210
815160
4640
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Kirsty Duncan - Politician, scientistKirsty Duncan works for all Canadians to nurture science in Canada and encourages people of all ages to have inquisitive minds.
Why you should listen
Kirsty Duncan is the Minister of Science and Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities for the Government of Canada. As a member of Parliament, she has been the voice on Parliament Hill for the citizens of Etobicoke-North since 2008. Duncan has also been a driving force for putting science front and center in the federal government's agenda. She is committed to strengthening science and evidence-based decision making and fostering a culture of curiosity in Canada. And she is taking action to improve equity, diversity and youth participation in Canada’s research community.
Duncan is a medical geographer who led an expedition to remote Svalbard, Norway, to search for the cause of the Spanish Flu, the deadliest of flu pandemics, which has killed upwards of 50 million people worldwide. She is internationally recognized as a leading expert in pandemic influenza and environmental change and its impact on human health. As a fierce defender of the environment, Duncan contributed to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, an organization which, jointly with Al Gore, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. Prior to entering politics in 2008, Duncan was an associate professor at the University of Toronto and the University of Windsor.
Kirsty Duncan | Speaker | TED.com