Thoughts in Tangles

Science flourishes through careful experimentation, thorough peer review, and a vibrant exchange of ideas.  History has demonstrated that prioritising political ideology over scientific integrity can lead to catastrophic outcomes.  One of the most notorious cases of this is Lysenkoism—a pseudoscientific movement spearheaded by Trofim Lysenko in the Soviet Union.  Lysenkoism really put a damper on authentic scientific advancement, resulting in major agricultural disasters, the elimination of opposing scientists, and a considerable regression in Soviet biological studies.   Trofim Lysenko was an agronomist who gained significant attention in the late 1920s and 1930s for his controversial belief that acquired characteristics could be passed down through generations. This notion directly contradicted established principles of Mendelian genetics and Darwinian evolution.  Lamarckism, a theory that caught the eye of Joseph Stalin’s regime, was seen as a politicall...