History...

One of the problems the lay public has many times with science is that it looks too technical and specialized, even elitist. While that is true (not the elitist part that is) and essential for its progress, I think that it may do the public (or even science students) good if they look at the bigger picture. In this case, it means taking a look at the history of science. I think that a healthy dose of the history of science will definitely convince every skeptic of how this glorious enterprise has evolved, and more importantly, how it has served to rid us of many social evils through rational thinking. Scientific history also teaches us that we are part of a remarkable fabric of reality, the threads of which we are just beginning to unravel. In this era of religious, political and social transition and instability, I think this understanding really will serve to stabilize and inform.