Science in society: applications, ethics, sustainability and STEM careers
Science in society asks you to evaluate claims, weigh evidence and consider consequences. The exam rewards balanced judgements about applications, ethics and sustainability rather than lists of facts.
Applications and evidence
Science is applied in medicine, agriculture, materials, energy and technology. Judge claims on peer-reviewed evidence, sample size, controls, reproducibility and conflicts of interest. Anecdotes and single studies are weak evidence; correlation does not prove causation. Media reports often exaggerate findings, so check the original source and who funded it.
Ethics
Ethical questions ask what we should do, not just what we can do: animal testing, genetic modification, data privacy, gene editing, organ donation and clinical trials (informed consent, placebos, ethics committees). Different stakeholders hold different values, so a strong answer gives benefits, risks and alternatives.
Sustainability
Sustainable development meets present needs without compromising future generations. Consider renewable energy (wind, solar), resource use, waste, recycling, water quality, biodiversity, food security and the circular economy. Life-cycle analysis - extraction, manufacture, use, disposal - gives a fuller picture than assessing one step.
Worked example
Evaluate a proposal to build a wind farm on a bog. Benefits: renewable electricity, low operating emissions, local jobs. Costs: habitat disturbance, peatland damage (peat stores carbon), visual impact, intermittency. Mitigation: site away from sensitive habitat, restore the bog, upgrade the grid, add battery storage. Conclusion: supported if sited and managed to minimise ecological loss - the decision rests on evidence plus values.
Traps
- Treating 'natural' as automatically safe.
- Confusing correlation with causation.
- Ignoring stakeholders or trade-offs.
- Presenting only one side of an argument.