Other terms that have been updated, including the use of “wildlife” rather than “biodiversity,” “fish populations” instead of “fish stocks,” and “climate science denier” rather than “climate skeptic.” In September, the BBC accepted it gets coverage of climate change “‘wrong too often”’ and told staff: “You do not need a ‘denier’ to balance the debate.”
You’ll remember that our Committee for Skeptical Inquiry campaigned to have news organizations change their usage in this regard. A statement signed by sixty CSI fellows and issued December 5, 2014, “Deniers Are Not Skeptics” (SI, March/April 2015 and on our website), got worldwide publicity and helped lead the AP to revise its policy. Physicist and CSI Fellow Mark Boslough, who spearheaded our campaign, considers the new Guardian policy “good news” and hopes it will inspire his fellow skeptics to ask other news organizations to make similar style guide updates.
Thank you to the creators, cast, and writers of The Big Bang Theory for twelve years of extraordinarily clever and witty television featuring a group of quirky young scientists who uncompromisingly love learning and knowledge and become a family of friends we all can somehow identify with. And for a classy and moving final double episode on May 16 that remained true to their scientific brilliance, acceptance of each’s shortcomings, and appreciation of true friendship. No other comedy series has ever so consistently exalted science (and skepticism) in such a hugely popular format watched and beloved by millions.