Jobs: Panchin Alexander, a biologist and popularizer of science

"I had a paranormal experience of meeting with Santa Claus"

- You were told that they were superstitious child. It's true?

- I would not say that was a superstitious other, but for some time really recognized God and even tried to charge water. My father brought home from work disposable filters, which are no longer used, and they battered me as a toy. I skipped through them water, it insisted on the sun and felt the magic - a game called "The Water Doctor". However, if I were asked whether this water has healing properties, I would not insist.

Yet I had a paranormal experience of meeting with Santa Claus. I remember once the New Year with my parents, we went out of the house, where there were gifts, and then came back, and they were lying under the tree - it's clear evidence podarkogeneza! Other explanation I have not found, and the parents in no way recognized.

In addition, the one time I wore a cross and thought it might be useful, and even put on occult amulet on the entrance exams at the university. At that moment I did not see anything strange in the fact that to take a subject that always gave

exams perfectly - even if not help, certainly not hurt.

These were little superstition in which you are not entirely convinced, but at the same time you do not see sense to abandon them. Now I perceive all this as a childish pranks.

- But your father - a biologist. He did not help to destroy delusion?

- They gave me a lot in terms of knowledge about the world, but did not interfere in the process of formation of outlook. I remember many lessons related to biology, mathematics, physics and chemistry, but none about the existence of spirits and the supernatural. Of the family did not touch.

I will say more: my father - an atheist, and my mother - a believer. I was baptized on the following considerations: If an atheist will grow, it will still, as if the believers - to say thank you. As a result, I grew up in an atheist and I do not care.

- How do you overcome delusion and become one of the most famous Russian popularizers of science?

- In addition to the parents, a big role in my becoming played school teachers. I worked in a specialized biology class, where one of the subjects was the scientific method - the atypical for most schools the subject. Here we have tried to deal with the concepts of "control group", "statistical analysis", "evidence causal relationship "and" sample size ", and then was simple physiological experiments people.

I grasped the idea of ​​obtaining reliable knowledge to invent and experiment correctly plan in advance and formulate a hypothesis to understand how to check it. Now I feel that this period is strongly influenced me.

At university, I started to move away from some of the superstitions: more and more to reflect and thought about what my beliefs correct. Appeared online, and I saw that people foaming at the mouth to prove things that are obviously nonsense, if you look at them from the point of view of biology.

I wondered when someone said that water I have a memory or argued that genetically modified foods - is something terrible. I wanted to change things, if someone was wrong, so I started to get involved in the discussion.

However, quickly realized that the controversy on the Internet is a very inefficient method of changing public opinion. So I switched to the scientific and popular articles, which have greater reach than the discussion on the forum or chat.

- How did you come to that science should not just engage in the offices, and talk about it and go to lectures across the country?

- I popularize science in very different ways - that books and articles, and lectures, and trips to the radio and television. I do not think it is necessary to do everything, but to me personally it's a pleasure.

I started with a word - was a scientific observer of "Novaya Gazeta". Then I was asked to read a few popular science lectures, and even called a couple of times on TV. I liked it and the rest, apparently, too, so the proposals became more and more.

Popular science activities, which I do, narrowly-specific. I am talking mainly about those things that seem to me the most important: they can affect the life of the individual and the development of our state.

For example, my first popular science book was devoted to genetic engineering. I believe that people should have an adequate idea of ​​it, because in Russia to pass laws that prohibit certain uses of genetic engineering, which could lead to technological backwardness.

According to the results of sociological surveys, more than 70% of the population believes that the GMO - this is very harmful. And I want our position on this issue has changed both the state and society. People become victims of unscrupulous marketing when buying "organic" products are up to five times more expensive.

Manufacturers simply monetize fear. Many of those who have read my books and listen to lectures, admitted that they can now safely walk to supermarkets: they have gone phobias, because they understand how things work.

- Why genetically modified food still safe?

- When we get a new variety, it is always a little different from what it was before. Each generation of carries are dozens of new mutations, and this applies to any product: crop breeds.

Moreover, if we look at the method, it becomes clear that genetic engineering outperforms selection. In the latter case, we rely on the unpredictable mutations and focus on the ultimate indicator - productivity varieties, and in the case of genetic engineering can more accurately intervene in the genome.

If you drive in the Google «GMO", then get out the apple, which is injected into something a syringe, or some even more absurd picture. People do not understand how the genetic engineering, and some even think that genetically modified if eaten GMO product. In this case, I usually joke that is cooked, if eat boiled egg.

Of course, you can deliberately create a toxic product toxic protein, and after its use will have problems, but no one is going to do. All the stories, when taken out for dangerous varieties of people were associated just with the selection. From the products created through genetic engineering, no one so far has not suffered.

At the same time, GM - just one example of what seems to be a socially significant to me. I am concerned that there are people who deny the role of HIV in the development of AIDS. This is a very dangerous myths that can push infected people to stop using drugs. This solution will reduce their life and endanger the sexual partners. It is necessary to take precautions, but in Russia the HIV epidemic is still evolving.

"In science one does not go for the big salaries"

- As today is built your time and looks like work space?

- I work at the Institute for Information Transmission Problems and doing bioinformatics. My workplace - a computer, no matter where he stood. So I can do things where I please. I read a lot of scientific articles, writing a program for the analysis of biological data, discuss the results with colleagues, prepare publications.

None of this is difficult to combine with the scientific and popular activity. Recently, I visit other cities around a couple of times a month - on the weekends. I believe that it is important to talk about science in the regions, because such events in Moscow a lot, and in the province - not.

My goal - to give people understand that they are not alone in their desire to learn something new, but unfortunately, due to the large number of cases I travel to other cities would not be as common as the cost. An example for me - Asya Kazantsev, who travels a lot.

- Which applications are using, not to keep a million facts in your head?

- My main application for the records - in the notebook computer. I also really like the service EndNote, which helps to keep and one-click to insert into vordovsky text links to sources. This can be useful when writing a scientific or popular scientific article, a book. In addition, the application creates a self-references in the proper format. This greatly facilitates the work - recommended.

- Have you ever regretted that have gone into science? Due to the small salaries in this environment, for example.

- I think that in science one does not go for the big salaries. All of them have an adequate idea of ​​what is earnings. I never regretted my decision because bad imagine myself in something else. I like to satisfy curiosity and to learn something new, so I can not even imagine how you can not love science.

- Do not you think that Russia lags behind the world nauchpop?

- If nauchpop written in English, it automatically becomes the property of the world and is more powerful. In addition, people who speak EnglishMore than those who communicate in Russian. That's why the world's nauchpop more authors and readers. This inequality, which, most likely, will never change.

At the same time, there is quite a decent domestic nauchpop. However, few examples in Russia, when a scientist of world renown or great academic merits of doing this. There Constantine Severinov or Mikhail Gelfand - people with cool scientific publications, but they do not write non-fiction books. In Russian folk nauchpop longer.

- Where are we need to pump to reach the world level?

- To be honest, I do not know. At one time, the West faced with the effect of Sagan, named after the famous science popularizer Carl Sagan. He was a great scholar and tried to become a member of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, but it did not take.

Biographers believe that the crucial role played by the fact that he was a popularizer of science. In the scientific community did not recognize him, because they thought that scientists have to sit in the laboratory and to educate students not to climb into the TV to influence society.

Later it turned out that Carl Sagan had great competence than many academics and was like no one deserves to be a member of the Academy of Sciences. In the West, overcome the snobbery, and now nauchpop very respectable thing. Good writers are respected in the academic community, and many scientists are quietly engaged in the promotion of educational ideas to the masses.

I think that Russia is just going through a period of early development nauchpop that in the United States have overcome in the time of Carl Sagan. There are many ideas about what to popularize science devalues ​​and vulgarized. We are working to overcome, and I hope that in the near future more and more worthy of scientists will give lectures for the general public. It is important that people know what is going on in science. Maybe, so we will overcome fear technological progress.

- Why do you think young people today are not particularly eager to go into science?

- People can stop the purely economic component: salaries in science is not very large. In addition, if a person from out of town and want to work in a good college, it will likely have to move and rent an apartment. All this may discourage desire to engage in the profession that you are interested in.

In addition, unfortunately, there is a strong devaluation of the scientific reputation. In Russia, a huge number of people who occupy high positions - right up to university rectors, but simply wrote off their thesis. There deans who h-index is equal to one - that is, they only have one article, which cited only once in the world of science.

Fully admit that all people understand this and do not want to be involved. They are afraid to become as candidates of science as any theologian who defended his degree in theology. Or the same Ph.D., the author of the theory that water can be charged by placing on a CD with the recording of the drug.

Everything I have just said - a reference to the actual examples. In humans, the question arises whether to do science in Russia should, if everything here is so bad. two answers: it is not necessary, or, on the contrary, it is necessary to change the current situation. But change takes ambitions willpower and a real desire to see as little as possible nonsense that masquerades as science.

- What advice would you give to those who still dare to fight with all this injustice?

- I will give a purely practical advice on choosing the laboratory - is the most important, if you want to get personal skills and study science. The main thing - to know English and see what scientific publications coming out of the lab that you liked.

Read them and see if they are of interest to you, or at least someone in the world, whether it is promising. If you realize that yes, take action to become a useful member of the team and to convince these people to take themselves. Do not be afraid to consult specialists that seem interesting them to consider your candidacy and give advice on the further development.

"The belief in homeopathy is not just stupid, but also dangerous"

- Why do intelligent people so often believe in all this nonsense? For example, in the same homeopathy.

- It should be understood that the techniques of alternative medicine pass through the sieve of natural selection. Win, only those that are most adapted to mislead people. Take homeopathy.

If you are prescribed a homeopathic remedy and it has not improved, the problem alleged in the fact that you are prescribed the wrong medicine, not that homeopathy does not work. You six months to undergo treatment with one drug, then another six months and then depart the disease itself. However, you will be assured that help is the second drug.

In addition to choosing the homeopathic treatment of the disease, which tend to take place on their own. For example, there are many fufloferonov intended to get rid of colds. As is known, with treatment it goes for a week, and without treatment - within seven days, but the people are convinced that it helped them a drug.

A lot of attention in homeopathy give an interview with the patient and building trust, but if the doctor is a good psychologist - it does not mean that he is a qualified doctor. It is possible that a person who knows how to speak from the heart, not the best specialist in the medicine.

- What are the most exacting fans of homeopathy have you faced?

- I have a friend oncologist, which brought the boy with a tumor in her cheek diameter of 21 centimeters. Parents of nine months it was treated with homeopathy, although the dentist sent a child to the oncologist. Homeopath said that everything is in order, and to swing the parents. When my grandfather brought the boy to the normal doctor, the case has already been very neglected. Such examples are many.

In the West, the company has made homeopathic pills from a toothache, which was not to be absolutely nothing, as expected. But due to poor control of the production they got belladonna and several children died. In some cases, the belief in homeopathy is not just stupid, but also dangerous.

- You were on the TV channel "Spas", which debated the existence of God, and even came to the show Malakhov, where they discussed the phenomenon tisulskoy princess. But why? We are confident that the audience of these channels is ready for a scientific view of the world?

- The problem is that a significant part of the audience nauchpop - people who no longer need to convince of anything. They are already on the adequacy of looking at the world. Nauchpop criticized for preaching among his, and this is partly true. Access to other sites that have no relation to the promotion of Sciences, Seems to me the answer to this criticism and attempt to reach a wider audience.

There is no hope that the majority of people who watched the transmission will change their point of view. However, if at least a few people begin to doubt, and to hear the argument that to them dostuchitsya be great. It is difficult to scientifically evaluate our effectiveness.

- Do not think that you just used to strengthen another myth with a note: see, all this is heard and the scientist could not challenge?

- I'm with this interpretation programs with his participation did not come across. On the "Save" all fair enough mounted - showed my position in the form in which I wanted. I believe that there is a well-made and have shown all too worthy. It was a positive experience.

In the case of project Malakhov no exhaust, in my opinion, it was not because I was not allowed to say anything really. I went there only for the sake of existential experience: see how to construct a transmission that play, unfortunately, quite a big role in the development of our society.

However, in a particular episode, where they discussed the phenomenon tisulskoy princess, we presented both points of view: the supporters of that artifact 800 million years, and the skeptics. There are far more horrible examples - in particular, the program "REN TV", in which people show outright garbage without a second point of view.

- Are you a member named Harry Houdini Award Advisory Board. The most surprising thing you see there?

- I'm one of the founders of the prize, so am there from the beginning. The main organizer - Stanislav Nikolsky. He hardly speaks publiclyBut initially it was he who decided to reproduce the western Award, which for demonstrating paranormal ability to pay a million dollars. We decided to not discriminate against domestic psychics and said they would give the winner one million rubles.

Another founder Mikhail Lidin Prize - author skeptical blog on YouTube, in which he exposes the show "Battle of psychics." He probably makes the greatest work. In our advisory council includes several illusionists, which help to eliminate the potential threat that some tests can be passed with the help of tricks.

During the existence of the award, we have not seen anything of the supernatural and the inexplicable. There was not a single applicant, which would have passed our tests.

- And what they are made?

- Tests are selected individually for each applicant. If a person says that he can determine someone's death a photograph, we will ask him to take a set of frames and the list of the circumstances of death and offer to match. None of the others can not tell: the correct answer is hidden in an envelope. Moreover, all the details of the test are discussed with the applicant in advance, and before the start of the test, he confirmed that nothing prevents to get started.

"I get a buzz when I assort any myth"

- Your book "Protecting Against the Dark Arts" debunks many misconceptions, but in the book is on the shelf regularly "Astrology". What do you think about it?

- There she belongs. It just solution to the problem among his sermon. Book cover and its design should attract the attention of people who would buy a book on alternative medicine, but instead read "Defense Against the Dark Arts"And, perhaps, become the victims of delusions. After reading a person must possess a sufficient arsenal to identify and learn the wrong conclusions.

- More you have an art book "APOPHENIA". Why scientist write dystopia?

— «APOPHENIA"- a world where trends and won pseudoscientific astrologyHomeopathy and theology become mainstream. They began to be used in courts and public medicine. Much of what is written, not fantastic, but reflects the reality in an exaggerated form.

This book I wrote more for himself - it was interesting to try to express their views on things which we can roll. I wanted the story on the one hand, cause the reader to fear because we live among the most dangerous delusions and on the other - laugh, because everything is so ridiculous.

- You said that many of the drafts of the book came to pass at the time of writing - that, for example?

- The emergence of the same theology as a public profession or the occurrence of a corresponding member of Russian Academy of Sciences - homeopath. All this is in the spirit of "APOPHENIA". Or take our Ministry of Education, which deals with the imposition of religious ideology rather than to focus efforts on popularization of science and the search for scientific answers to questions. Recently, their website was a typo FreudMinister of enlightenment.

- How do you relax? I read somewhere that you spend a lot of cursing the time when "the Internet someone is not right." Srach the web can be productive from this point of view?

- Some of the discussion in the Internet really make me happy. On YouTube there is a video called "This is my obsessive-compulsive disorder." The doctor makes the character some things that trigger the desire to correct them. For example, three pictures, one of which is hanging crooked.

The Hero with a haggard view all builds, and finally asks, "Can I come back tomorrow?" He gets pleasure from this therapy, and I have the same reaction to the error. I feel a thrill when assort any myth, so nauchpop - a form of relaxation for me.

If you take other leisure activities, that sometimes I deal with social dancing. You go to a party where all trained in some form of dance, but there is no permanent pairs, and you dance with who you want. This is the sense of sociality: it is possible to meet new people. Of course, like many others, I read books, go to the movies and even play computer games - very much like StarCraft.

Layfhakerstvo from Alexander Panchina

books

The most useful and interesting book of all that I have just mentioned - "Harry Potter and the methods of rational thinking" Eliezer Yudkowsky. It describes some of the available scientific approaches and ideological humanist ideas that I think are useful.

Life more than anything else, I was inspired by the science fiction writer Stanislaw Lem. This is my favorite author. Read product "Star Diaries"And"The Cyberiad». I would recommend Lem because he has a great sense of humor, and his work on the development of many of the prophetic ideas of the future.

TV series

To be honest, I'm somewhat serialoman. I saw a huge number of TV series that makes HBO or Netflix - from "Game of Thrones" and ending with "house of cards." Of the latter is my favorite - "the Miracle Worker." There's talk about how in heaven decisions as to what is happening on Earth. The main thing is not to confuse it with the Russian TV series "Miracle Worker" - I did not watch it.

Movies

Favorite movie - "Cloud Atlas". I really like when the completed works and in them all connected. The "Cloud Atlas" is done very nicely. Each one tells a few stories, how to fight for freedom and as the achievements of the previous fighters inspire future.

For similar reasons I like the film "Cloverfield" - is horror. There is a famous phrase: "If on the wall hangs a gun, it should shoot." In this film, a lot of guns and they shoot - very nice.

Video

I love to watch performances of Western science popularizers. Probably my favorite - a physicist Sean Carroll. It's very pleasant to listen to. On YouTube you can find his lecture "From particles to the people"Or" Why God is not a good theory. " There is also a podcast where he talks to other scientists and even Nobel laureates.

I also have great pleasure in looking at the debate, Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris and Daniel Dennett. These are four people who have played a major role in the development of the secular movement in the United States. They were nicknamed the "horsemen of the apocalypse." They brought a lot of interesting ideas and thus also very good speakers.

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