Govt urged to punish those who post rumors about science

A food safety expert has called on China's authorities to severely punish people who spread online rumors about science in order to promote science literacy among the public.

"Rumors relating to science not only stop the public from becoming more scientifically literate but also cause concrete damage to the country's economy and social security," Fan Zhihong, associate professor of nutrition and food safety at China Agricultural University in Beijing, said on Tuesday.

She was speaking at the World Conference on Science Literacy, which opened in the Chinese capital on Monday.

Fan said rumors that even someone with a basic scientific knowledge would not believe have successfully fooled the public and triggered mass anxiety.

For example, in early 2011, many people rushed out to buy salt after an earthquake hit Japan and destroyed a nuclear plant due to a widespread but erroneous claim that salt could protect against radiation.

To boost science literacy, Fan suggested the government establish a mechanism that severely punishes those who spread rumors and cultivate more talent to help promote science literacy.

"There's no single right way to teach science," she said. "The important thing is that people learn something that they will find interesting so they will continue to study science, formally or informally. At best, they like science and care enough about it to stay informed."

The World Conference on Science Literacy is the first international conference sponsored by the China Association for Science and Technology and aims to promote science literacy worldwide.