Science on the air

It is a bare fact, whether or not one finds it an unhappy state of affairs, that a soap opera or a quiz show regularly attracts millions more listeners than a broadcast on any field of science. Naturally those responsible for putting broadcasts on the air shy away from the very word science in their program planning. The blame, of course, lies with radio for not devoting more time and energy to popularization—and with the scientists themselves for thinking too much about what they want to say and not enough about the people who are supposed to listen to it. It should surprise no one that the joint efforts of radio and the scientists have been so widely unheard.