What does it take for science to be trustworthy?

When we say we trust science, what are we actually trusting it to do? And who gets a say in where it goes next?

In the second episode of our special mini-series on trust in science, Alisha Wainwright is joined by bioethicist Dr Sarah Chan of the Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, Professor Tom Ellis, co-director of the Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, and Sarah Hartley, Professor of Technology Governance at the University of Exeter.

Our guests explore what makes science trustworthy, and why trust is rarely just about how much people know. Drawing on examples from synthetic biology and other areas of emerging science, they consider how new technologies can be developed responsibly, and how trust is shaped by whether decisions are made fairly, whether people feel listened to, and whether science is working on the problems that matter in their lives.

Along the way, the panel turns a familiar question around. Instead of asking whether the public understands science, they ask: does science understand its publics?

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Mentioned in this episode & further resources:

• Wellcome Global Monitor: To access the report, interactive data dashboards, and the full data set, go to: wellcome.org/podcast/globalmonitor
• Earning public trust in science: To learn more about the work that Wellcome is doing on trust, go to: https://wellcome.org/engagement-and-advocacy/engaging-people/trust-in-science
• SynHG and Care-full Synthesis: To learn more about the Wellcome-funded project developing the tools for human genome synthesis, and the social research running alongside it, go to: https://wellcome.org/news/new-project-pioneer-principles-human-genome-synthesis
• Sciencewise: https://sciencewise.org.uk
• Nuffield Council on Bioethics, stem cell-based embryo models: https://www.nuffieldbioethics.org/publications/stem-cell-based-embryo-models
• Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/6