Chapter 48.6: Scientists and Citizens in the Twenty-FIrst Century

Biologists

help improve our planets health 

• Field biologists: to help document the Earth’s biodiversity 

• Molecular Biologists: help us combat disease in new ways

Physiologists

Needed to help understand how species respond to environmental change

Ecologists/population geneticist:

help discover the principles that govern species interaction in communities so that we can understand how physiological responses to global change in one species will affect others 

Geneticists

develop crops that can yield more food

Economists/lawmakers

work together to ensure government policies reflect what we know about the natural world 

Government and private agencies

• help ensure supplies of clean water and adequate food are available for people and other basic needs for life 

Doctors/public health worker:

opportunities to improve the health of people in countries around the world

Laboratory research:

• Physicians can discover new ways to treat cancer, malaria, AIDS viral outbreaks etc…..

  • Treating people in new ways helps reduce the threat of antibiotic resistant pathogens 

Engineer

opportunity to design energy-efficient machines or establish improved ways of slowing the spoilage of food

Teacher

Particularly important role in making sure that our children have the knowledge they need to meet the challenges of the Anthropocene