As I was waiting for my material, I struck up a conversation with the person standing in front of me. He asked about my topic. I told him that it was federal policy toward pre-World War II Arctic Alaska. All too often, we hear that it is an obscure topic. Public funding for science cannot be built entirely on the logic of scientific discovery.
Examples come through the news of existing discoveries that capture public attention.
One is tempted to seek such attention for Arctic research. One can spend considerable time trying to figure out what stories will capture the media's imagination. The danger is, however, in creating sensational stories built on shaky science. The weakest link can be between media interest and actual importance to people's lives. Publicity can direct investigations toward further thin results rather than strengthening less interesting links.