Science Vs: The War on Science
Episode Release Date: February 19, 2025 | Host: Wendy Zuckerman | Produced by Spotify Studios
Introduction
In the February 19, 2025 episode of Science Vs, host Wendy Zuckerman delves into what she describes as an unprecedented assault on science in the United States under the Trump administration. Setting the stage with an emotional tone, Wendy shares personal sentiments and highlights alarming changes affecting the scientific community.
“While following this attack on science, I've been crying, too.”
— Wendy Zuckerman [00:00]
Government Actions Against Science
The episode begins by outlining the Trump administration's efforts to cut government spending, juxtaposed against a soaring federal deficit of $1.8 trillion. Scientists express deep concern over the administration's actions, labeling them as "unprecedented" and "insane."
“Headlines are screaming that Trump is waging an assault on science that will make Americans dumber and sicker.”
— Wendy Zuckerman [02:10]
Website Censorship and Data Erasure
A significant portion of the discussion focuses on the removal of information from federal websites. Wendy and Max Kozlov, a science journalist at Nature, shed light on the administration's directives to delete terms related to gender ideology and diversity from federal resources. This has led to vast portions of websites, including those of the CDC, NIH, and EPA, becoming inaccessible.
“Any information on this page promoting gender ideology is extremely inaccurate and disconnected from the immutable biological reality that there are two sexes, male and female.”
— Max Kozlov [05:53]
The censorship extends to critical public health information, such as monkeypox prevention and HIV resources, which were briefly taken offline before being restored with contentious disclaimers.
“So because of that knowledge, we were able to redirect resources, vaccines, treatments, education materials to those communities. And if you look... you'll see almost immediately a steep decline down.”
— Max Kozlov [07:08]
Funding Freezes and Grant Issues
The Trump administration implemented a “roller coaster” of funding freezes and resumptions, causing confusion and hindering ongoing research. Courts intervened with restraining orders, but the disruption remained significant.
“There's just a lot of confusion right now because the Trump administration has acted very quickly...which is unprecedented.”
— Max Kozlov [03:50]
At the National Science Foundation (NSF), staff are scrutinizing existing grants for the now-banned terms, leading to modifications or potential withdrawal of funding. This has left researchers in limbo, unsure if their projects will proceed.
“I've been hearing from just so many postdocs who are like, shoot, I used one of these words in my grant application. They don't know what's next for them.”
— Max Kozlov [09:54]
Impact on Public Health Initiatives
The episode highlights the detrimental effects on public health programs, particularly those led by USAID. Key initiatives like the President's Malaria Initiative and PEPFAR, which funds HIV research and prevention, have faced severe funding cuts and operational disruptions.
“It's a whole scale dismantling...participants were just left Absolutely. Hanging in the middle of a clinical trial.”
— Max Kozlov [23:28]
The shutdown of these programs not only hampers disease prevention efforts but also erodes public trust in both science and the United States.
Leadership and Future Concerns
With RFK Jr. confirmed as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, concerns are mounting regarding the future of vaccine policies and public health programs. His history of challenging vaccine efficacy raises alarms about potential policy shifts that could undermine existing immunization efforts.
“RFK Jr. Has frequently said that he's not an anti vaxxer...but his actions his entire career would say the opposite.”
— Max Kozlov [25:17]
Researchers fear that his influence could lead to significant alterations in vaccine recommendations and the Vaccines for Children program, potentially increasing the likelihood of disease outbreaks like measles.
Psychological Toll and Community Response
The administration's actions have created a pervasive culture of fear among scientists, discouraging open research and collaboration. The uncertainty surrounding funding and employment has left many feeling demoralized and insecure about the future of their work and careers.
“So it's just everybody just has no idea what's coming next.”
— Max Kozlov [21:41]
Conclusion
Science Vs paints a grim picture of the current state of science in the U.S., attributing the administration's actions to both financial motives and a broader anti-science agenda. The swift and sweeping changes have already begun to have lasting implications, with the scientific community grappling to maintain integrity and progress amidst political turmoil.
“And I think that people are really struggling to make sense of it. And I think that's what hurts so much.”
— Max Kozlov [29:32]
Wendy Zuckerman closes the episode by emphasizing the global repercussions of these domestic policies, underscoring the critical need for science in combating misinformation and fostering informed decision-making.
This episode of Science Vs provides a comprehensive and deeply concerning exploration of the Trump administration’s impact on the scientific landscape in the United States. Through insightful interviews and detailed analysis, listeners gain a clear understanding of the challenges facing the scientific community today.