Cities Around The World March To Defend Science

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) — What do they want? Science! When do they want it? After peer review!

Miami is joining in a global day of action to defend scientific work and celebrate its discoveries.

The downtown March for Science coincides with Earth Day, starting with an afternoon rally from Museum Park near the Nuevo Mundo sculpture (1075 at Biscayne Blvd.) to the science expo along the west side of Stephen P. Clark Government Center (111 NW 1st St.).

"The event celebrates public discovery, understanding and the free and open distribution of scientific knowledge as crucial to the freedom, success, health and safety of life on this planet," event organizers said.

In hundreds of cities around the world, including New York, Berlin, Washington, London and Sidney, scientists, researchers, educators and science enthusiasts are marching over perceived fears that governments are rejecting the scientific community's expertise in things like climate change and the safety of vaccinations.

"The level at which science is misunderstood and misused to misinform is alarming," said Miami-based organizer Theresa Pinto in a press release. "Science, by definition, is self-correcting, open-sourced and peer-reviewed. The stereotype of the ivory tower lab coat scientist is just another falsehood spread by those who have an interest in silencing scientists and the data sets that we seek. We observe and collect information, we analyze data and adjust for mistakes, and we experiment further to get at knowledge. Why is this under attack?"

Activists also argue that immigration policies prevents scientists from working in the U.S.

Others are supporting the effort to pressure leaders into creating policies based on facts, without dismantling regulations that exist to protect society and improve public health.

In March, Bill Nye, better known as the Science Guy, outlined recommendations for the Trump administration urging the president to continue pushing forward advancements in space science and exploration.

NASA's budgetary cuts under President Trump weren't as deep as many had feared.

The Office of Management and Budget said the restructuring and elimination of certain programs, like the Asteroid Redirect Mission, NASA's Office of Education, and several Earth-science research missions, are "reducing the costs of exploration missions to enable a more expansive exploration program."

"My administration is committed to keeping our air and water clean, to preserving our forests, lakes, and open spaces, and to protecting endangered species," the president said Saturday. "We can and must protect our environment without hurting America's working families. That is why my administration is reducing unnecessary burdens on American workers and American companies, while being mindful that our actions must also protect the environment."

But as Trump sets his sights on gutting the Environmental Protection Agency and the Great Barrier Reef continues to suffer, many feel the time is now to sound the alarm.

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• Miami