Text 4 Scientists have long had cause to complain about how the public view them and their work. Complaints range from objections to denialism. Lately, though, the cultural laments seem out of date. In the US, science is becoming cool again among non-scientists. The evidence is all around us, in the form of a popular culture pulsing with content celebrating science. CBS’s The Big Bang Theory is the No.1 comedy show on TV, watched by about 20 million people per night. This is a show in which “scientists” say “scientific things”, and people can’t get enough of it. Fox and National Geographic’s remark of the classic documentary Cosmos is making science into a weekly conversation starter. It appears that a handful of influential entertainers make up their mind that science rocks. And they had enough big megaphones to spread the word. But here’s where a heavy dose of confusion enters the picture, not to mention some pretty unrealistic expectations. There is no doubt that science is more visible in culture these days. There is also no doubt that the many fans of Cosmos hope and believe that this will solve the denial problem. They expect it to make people more rational, more accepting of what scientists have to say about controversial topics, and less willing to dismiss knowledge because it conflicts with their beliefs, values and ideologies. All the evidence suggests that you can have a science-infused popular culture that is also steeped with denialism. One doesn’t negate the other, because the two operate on very different levels. I have never heard of a science denier who didn’t claim to be enamored with science. Deniers invariably cultivate their own “scientists” and “experts” and trot out scientific-sounding arguments to support their contrarian positions. What is more, psychological research suggests that more scientifically literate political conservatives are bigger deniers of climate change than conservatives who don’t know much about science. What we need to do is to separate the concept of science engagement from that of science denial--to pull part dazzling and fascinating from convincing and persuading. Why? Because then we will see the science denial is a personal and psychological phenomenon, rooted in belief and identity, which can’t be washed away by a wave of science boosterism. To science’s influential friends in showbiz, we can’t thank you enough for showing that science is cool again. But if this matters to you as much as it appears to, then please recognize that the task has just begun. Now comes the hard part: show us not just that science is cool and fascinating, but that science denial is destructive or even immoral. Show us that it amounts to succumbing to one of the least flattering aspects of the human psyche: putting self-serving beliefs ahead of facts and ahead of people.