Throwback: An Open Letter on Science, Fear, and Selenium (Originally written in 2021).
Originally shared in this LinkedIn Post
I originally wrote this letter (link at end) four years ago as an open response to a Canadian artist during a wave of concern about selenium in the environment. It was shared with the artist on my behalf by a group proposing to reopen and clean up a legacy coal mine.
The letter was always meant to be public - to inform, to invite conversation, and to stand for something I still believe in. At the time, I wasn’t as secure in my voice and didn’t post it publicly. The best time would have been then... the second-best time is now.
Science isn’t about beliefs. It’s about evidence.
As scientists, we’re trained to change our minds when new information comes up. But that mindset of seeking, testing, and adjusting doesn't always exist outside of science. A lot of people form beliefs early and stick to them, no matter how much evidence builds up on the other side. That creates real problems.
We’re in a time where misinformation travels faster than peer-reviewed research. And where fear, not facts, often drives public conversation. But fear shuts down curiosity. And curiosity is what keeps science honest.
Science isn't about defending positions. It's about challenging them. And still, in the public arena, people often double down even when they’re proven wrong. That’s not science. That’s just getting stuck.
This letter was my attempt to bridge that gap. To talk plainly about a complicated topic. And to remind myself (and anyone reading) that we don’t get to choose what’s true. We only get to choose whether we’re willing to learn.
It’s long, and it’s from 2021 - entirely in my voice. No AI assistance back then for polishing ;). Just me, writing the way I speak when I care about something. And I still care... which you hopefully can tell in my writing today too!
If you’ve ever wondered how selenium behaves, how we treat it in mine water, or how fear can derail environmental conversations, this might help. Or at least it might start a better one.
Here it is again. Still nerdy. Still long. Still me.