Robert McCredie May
Robert McCredie May (January 8, 1936 - April 28, 2020) was an Australian physicist, zoologist, and theoretical ecologist, widely recognized for his pioneering contributions to mathematical biology and population dynamics. His work was instrumental in understanding ecosystem stability and the effects of change on biodiversity. One of his most influential achievements was demonstrating, through simple mathematical models, how seemingly stable ecological systems can exhibit chaotic behavior. He also served in prominent roles as the UK Government's Chief Scientific Adviser and as President of the Royal Society. His interdisciplinary approach reshaped modern environmental science.
Quotes
- Not only in research, but also in the everyday world of politics and economics, we would all be better off if more people realised that simple nonlinear systems do not necessarily possess simple dynamical properties.
- Yet another study has been published recently confirming that there is no evidence that homeopathy has more than a placebo effect. It is just the latest in a long series of studies conducted over the past 150 years that demonstrate that homeopathic treatments in themselves offer no benefit and that there is no plausible physical mechanism by which highly diluted solutions can achieve a therapeutic effect.
- When Andrew Wakefield claimed in 1998 that there was evidence of a link between the MMR vaccine, autism and bowel disorders, the British government rushed to reassure parents that the vaccine was safe. But the campaign to restore public confidence was undermined by claims (however well-intentioned) that the vaccine was completely safe. It was clear that the injection was not responsible for the effects reported by Dr Wakefield, but it certainly could not be said that no child would ever have an adverse reaction. [...] It would have been better to openly admit that there is theoretically a very small risk for some children (though no more than one in 100,000) and explain how mass vaccinations expose individuals to these risks in order to protect the entire population from much more serious dangers.
- In school, most science classes focus on learning facts and figures, giving a set of precise answers to a set of equally precise questions. But scientific progress does not happen this way, especially when it comes to exploring new areas. It would be better if students in science classes learned to think about how science progresses, and to learn about the scientific method. Children need to be aware of what we do not know, as well as what we do know; they need to understand that scientific knowledge increases because of a continuous trend toward better understanding, which translates into greater certainty in some areas and greater uncertainty in others.