Government call for science ‘weirdos’ prompts caution from researchers

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The UK prime minister’s adviser Dominic Cummings wants scientific approaches to inform government — but researchers worry his view is simplistic.

Researchers have reacted with surprise and caution to a bizarrely worded job advertisement posted by a senior UK government adviser. The notice calls for scientists, mathematicians and “super-talented weirdos” to work for the prime minister and to help make “rapid progress with long-term problems”, and cites several scientific papers.

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