Updated at 10:30 am Following my brief and angry post last week about Simon Jenkins’ wayward accusations against scientists in The Guardian , Bill Hanage and I have written a more temperate but no less strongly felt response that has appeared in today’s paper (page 33 if you have a copy). The article has now appeared online (thanks to Richard for spotting it – see comments) but here below is the copy that we submitted

I just wanted to clamber up onto my pedestal for a moment (it’s rented – I don’t actually possess one) and shout at the very top of my voice that Simon Jenkins has written an article in The Guardian that has made me VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY CROSS!!! I’ve already commented there (as scww) and have nothing more to say on the matter tonight.

Thought that some of you might like to know that the latest (Feb 2010) issue of The Biochemist is running a special series of articles on Science and the Media; science communication if you will.

This morning I attended a my first ever publicity stunt. The 10 ²³ overdose event, initiated by the Merseyside Skeptics, was held in cities around the UK and the rest of the world. Our particular group assembled in the lightly frosted but thoroughly freezing Red Lion Square in Holborn, London. I was more than happy to hand over £5 for the 10 ²³ t-shirt—glad of the extra layer of clothing!

After a slight delay, I had an idea for a blog post and I’m going to run with it. Hope you can keep up. I have started to run. I have known for a long time that I needed to do this but it took a build-up of pressure to get me moving. It is for my own good. I am feeling the pain but also, still somewhat to my surprise, the benefit. So far I am managing to go running about three times a week.

Tonight I attended a science policy debate organised by CaSE at the Institution of Engineering and Technology on London’s Embankment.

I am 46 years of age and I have just discovered Jupiter. This is a surprising revelation, even to me. I have strong memories of being a child besotted with things astronomical. Looking back now, however, I have to wonder at the superficiality of my interests. I was certainly a devotee of space and space rockets.

This’ll be brief. It’s late. Tonight Simon Singh returned to his undergraduate alma mater to speak to students and staff at Imperial College about his adventures in science and his battles with libel. With good humour but serious intent he warned the audience – a full house in Blackettt Laboratory Lecture Theatre 1* – to be on their skeptical guard about nonsense in the world.

On Friday evening the structural biologists of Imperial College and the friends of the structural biologists of Imperial College gathered together for a screening of the film, Naturally Obsessed. Filmed over three years, this hour-long documentary tracks the lives of graduate students Rob, Kil and Gabe, as they battle the recondite mysteries of protein crystallography in their quest to become scientists.

The prospects for much-needed changes to the outdated libel laws of England and Wales received a fresh impulse in the past couple of days as Sense about Science, the Index on Censorship and English PEN joined together to lobby as the Coalition for Libel Reform.

Your royal Highness, members of the Academy, esteemed colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, it is a great and singular honour for me to accept the Nobel prizes for physics, chemistry and medicine.