My first reaction, when asked to lead Paste’s new Science team, was that a Science section in a general-interest magazine—famously focused on music and entertainment—was a tough fit. The more I thought about it, however, the more I realized it was, and is, a perfect match.
First, we live in an incredible age. We have more tools for explaining our surroundings than ever before, and thus sit atop a precipice of potential discoveries. If we don’t get in our own way, we may know more about our selves, our world, and our universe over the next few of years than we have unearthed in all the other years of human existence combined.
These discoveries will guide Paste Science across a spectrum of disciplines including, but not limited to, the environment, space, tech, and the human body. While reporting revelations we will err on the side of education and service. And we will continually ask one basic question (and ask our crew of staff and freelance writers to do same): How can this cutting-edge information work for our readers?
Second, Science is a classically Paste-ian undertaking. The genre sits at the intersection of artful imagination and technology, the avant-garde and the naturally rhythmic. Our readers are curious and possess a wider purview than most. If we can add to, entertain, and share in that curiosity, we have done our jobs.
Finally, the magazine, like our readers, is quite aware of the challenging time in which we live. At the moment, the world seems to be in a tailspin. Society appears to be consumed with petty, partisan behavior, which often trumps clear thinking … even when the facts are right in front of our noses. We hope this new section will provide a moment of respite from the madness and a friendly, safe place to land in an atmosphere of cruelty.
Please join us as Paste Science finds its footing, discovers its personality, and welcomes anyone who values forward-thinking. We will run, free-spirited flag in hand, into the cybersphere with our classically quirky, provocative style and nerdy swagger. We encourage writers out there to propose stories that understand this and do the same. Most importantly, we are keenly aware that we’ve been given a gift to participate in an important forum and look forward to hearing all sides of the discussion.
Image: – François – CC-BY
Alex Crevar is Paste’s Science editor.