IF THERE was ever a gap between the two cultures of science and literary intellectualism, as C. P. Snow famously argued 50 years ago, the swine flu episode testifies to its disappearance. Science is now appreciated more deeply, and has more influence on policy, than Snow imagined possible.
In the early days of the outbreak, scientists, far from their reputation for dry empiricism, proved adept at using narrative and metaphor to shape public understanding. They proved to be more aware than ever of how their findings are interpreted by wider society.
Policy-makers also proved that Snow’s strictures have been broken.…
