I don't necessarily agree with Shu about nuclear power. I do, however, think that arguing for unpopular positions like this is something that scientists ought to be doing with far more regularity. The path to scientific activism Hiroshima is a reminder that where science is concerned, the stakes are high. I decided at that stage that I wanted to devote myself to preventing this from happening again. Kurt Gottfried, professor emeritus of physics at Cornell, cofounded the Union of Concerned Scientists, an environmental and disarmament group.
Science is an enormously powerful engine of new knowledge.
That always has the potential for destruction. Scientific activism is based on the idea that scientists need to take responsibility for the technologies they produce. But it can be difficult to see the possible connections between abstract research and applications. For example, I'm helping to produce new technology in my work on how massive stars are born. Stars form when cool interstellar gas clouds collapse under their own gravity.