Psychedelics cause awakening…of sorts

Is it too early for science story of the year nominations? This one seems to have it all: rats tripping on acid, the seedy world of underground chemists in Europe, and a spiraling number of murder victims. …well, maybe they are murder victims. It’s hard to say. This is the story of David Nichols, who studies the way psychedelics act in the brains of rats. One side effect of Dr. Nichols’s published findings is that black market labs decipher the recipes for “cheap and marginally legal recreational drugs.” Some of these recipes have been involved in deaths. Nature recently published an essay by Dr. Nichols in which he reflected on the ethical quandary he now feels himself caught in. Many factors had to come together for any of the victims to die, making the blame easy to spread around (even to the victims themselves). But Dr. Nichols still feels a link to his work: “I had published information that ultimately led to human death.” What does this have to do with science festivals? Festivals get scientists out into the public specifically to talk about their work. Scientists need to share their work with their peers in published journals. But they also have an obligation to keep a much greater audience, and greater good, at top of mind. Presenting your work to the public–and listening to the reaction–is one way to keep it there. Dr. Nichols found the courage to admit his shortsightedness to the AP: “I never thought of these getting out of the lab.” I don’t blame him for these deaths, and applaud him for his honesty. Still, I can’t help wonder if a steady diet of public dialogue “out of the lab” might have helped him see it coming.