Why Unpopular Science is Good Science

Inside the Breakthrough - How Science Comes to Life

When someone tells you “that is a stupid idea,” how do you react? Do you reconsider your position? Do you dig your heels in and get defensive? Do you quit, or work harder? Being unpopular is a regular state of affairs for scientists. The nature of the work requires you to disrupt paradigms and make people uncomfortable. How a scientist reacts to that criticism is crucial to their success. Galileo got told he was wrong by the Pope himself. Seriously, the entire Catholic Church told him his idea that the Earth went around the Sun was flawed. But he stood his ground, and ended up in jail. Ignaz Semmelweis had a simpler idea -- that doctors should wash their hands. But that idea was met with opposition as well. He stood his ground and ended up in an asylum. Dr Wayne Lautt of SciMar has spent 30 years being told his ideas are unfounded. How should he react? What are the consequences of pushing back? These science stories from history shed light on the modern research being done on Type 2 Diabetes. Specifically we highlight the work of SciMar as they examine the hormone HISS - Hepatic Insulin Sensitizing Substance - and the effect it has on glucose levels in people who are insulin resistant. www.SciMar.ca