• Question: Does any of your work make risks on society?

    Asked by glacierbunnys to David, Rebecca, Simon, Verity, Wei on 15 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Rebecca Handley

      Rebecca Handley answered on 14 Jun 2011:

      Yes, the bacteria I work on is highly infectious and causes food poisoning. I have to be very careful to wash my hands when I leave work, I wouldn’t want to bring the bacteria home with me! I also work on genetically modified bacteria, and we definitely wouldnt want those escaping!

    • Photo: Wei Xun

      Wei Xun answered on 14 Jun 2011:

      Since our subjects are people, we do all we can to not disrupt their lives.

      But if my research tells people misleading ideas of what’s good or bad for their health, I think that would be much worse!

    • Photo: Verity Nye

      Verity Nye answered on 15 Jun 2011:

      No.

    • Photo: David Armstrong

      David Armstrong answered on 15 Jun 2011:

      The work I do in the lab is pretty safe as long as you are careful. In general nuclear fusion, while safer than nuclear fission, does present some risks. In particular there will be some radioactive waste generated and this has to be safely stored for several hundred years, so it can’t harm people or end up in the hands of terrorists.

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