STONY BROOK – Whenever I hear about Islamic State militants bulldozing archaeological treasures and smashing sculptures and statues, I think about the assault on the scientific process being carried out by US politicians. Our scientific infrastructure – the principal means by which we understand the world, identify and ward off threats, and pursue a better future – is coming under attack by lawmakers who regard science as an obstacle to achieving their goals, and thus as a target that must be eliminated.
斯托尼布鲁克——每次听到伊斯兰国武装推倒考古珍品、打碎雕塑雕像，我都会想起美国政客对科学化进程所进行的攻击。我们的科学基础设施——人类赖以认识世界、识别和抵御威胁和追求美好未来的主要手段——正在受到那些将科学视为实现目标绊脚石的立法者的威胁，他们认定必须淘汰科学基础设施。