Leading article: Speak up, scientists

'Science and art belong to the whole world," said Goethe "and before them vanish the barriers of nationality." Yes, but there can be no doubt that, of the two, art tends to hog the limelight at the moment.

Take those twin pillars of Britain's artistic and scientific communities: the Royal Academy (founded 1768) and the Royal Society (founded 1660). The Royal Society's summer exhibition opens today, exhibiting the best of British science. It is a chance for the public to converse with distinguished professors of science and technology. This year, visitors will be able to find out why mosquitoes find some people tastier than others. There will also be exhibitions on a host of topics, from bringing extinct animals to life to generating life on Mars. A certain prince will also be interested in the exhibition on how to "listen to what the trees are saying".

But compared to the Royal Academy's summer exhibition, which showcases contemporary artworks, from the work of lofty Academicians to that of unknowns, the Royal Institution's show receives little public attention and generates none of the same buzz.

This is unfair. Science can be just as stimulating to the public imagination as the arts. Perhaps what is needed is a little more public advocacy. Granted, the likes of Dawkins, Hawking and Winston do their bit. But they are too often drowned out by a cacophony of Hirsts, Hockneys, Blakes and Wallingers (not to mention Schnabels, Hollers and Violas).

There is, of course, plenty of room for both arts and science. But it would not do any harm for science to make a bit more noise from time to time.

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