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An issue frequently raised in the debate about the relationship between scientists and journalists is the pace at which the two different tribes operate. Journalists need answers yesterday for questions that scientists would prefer to ponder. The Science Media Centre’s Fiona Fox gave the Leveson inquiry a flavour of this while giving evidence on science reporting last month. Fox, well used to providing hungry reporters with all the low down, had to be asked several times by the good Lord Justice to slow down as “smoke seems to be emanating from the shorthand writer”.