Bad Things Done in the Name of Science

To listen to this episode, download the mp3 directly, find us on iTunes, or use the player below.

Sam Kean

What happens when scientists abandon ethical standards in the pursuit of science? Can we trust scientific discoveries learned with fraudulent practices? To answer some of these questions and more, science writer Sam Kean joins us to share from his new book, The Icepick Surgeon: Murder, Fraud, Sabotage, Piracy, and Other Dastardly Deeds Perpetrated in the Name of Science. Listen to Sam explain how he uses storytelling as a means to engage the listener in science while reminding us of the importance in following ethical considerations while executing science practices.

About our Guest:

Making his fourth appearance on Lab Out Loud, Sam Kean is a science writer and author of The Disappearing Spoon and Caesar’s Last Breath. His stories have appeared in The Best American Science and Nature Writing, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Slate, and Psychology Today, among other places, and his work has been featured on NPR’s “Radiolab”, “Science Friday”, and “All Things Considered,” among other shows (adapted from samkean.com/samkean).

Links:

Connect with our guest:

Featured image courtesy of Sam Kean


Looking for a transcript of the show? While we don’t generate transcripts, you can find the show on YouTube at www.youtube.com/labOutLoud. Here you can turn on the Closed Captioning option, and even harvest the captions with this Chrome extension.


We always love to hear from you – our listeners. Do you have any ideas for guests? What topics in science and science education need to be addressed? Submit your comments, concerns and suggestions through our contact page or tweet to us at @laboutloud.

Do you like the show? Please leave a comment on iTunes and rate us!

3 comments

  • Zack Hemond

    I’m am planning to use segments of this book in my Science in Society class. Thanks for having Sam Kean on to talk about his new book.

  • Judith Chaparro Rocha

    I am a big fan of Mr Kean´s books, I have used many times in my chemestry class here in México. Soon I´ll buy the new one.

  • Jeanne

    Julia Alvarez wrote an historical fiction book about the use of orphans for vaccinations: “ Saving the World”