Simon Lehna Singh Order of the British Empire (born 1 January 1964) is a United Kingdom author who has specialised in writing about mathematics and science topics in an accessible manner. He is the youngest of three brothers, his eldest brother being Tom Singh the founder of the UK New Look (store) chain of stores. His written works include [[Fermats Last Theorem (book)|Fermat Last Theorem]] (in the [[United States]] titled ermats Enigma: The Epic Quest to Solve the Worlds Greatest Mathematical Problem), The Code Book]] (about [[cryptography]] and its [[history of cryptography|history]]), Big Bang (book)|Big Bang]] (about the [[Big Bang]] theory and the origins of the universe) and Trick or Treatment|Trick or Treatment? Alternative Medicine on Trial]] (about complementary and alternative medicine). He has also produced documentaries and works for television to accompany his books, is a trustee of [[NESTA]], the [[National Museum of Science and Industry]] and co-founded the [[Undergraduate Ambassadors Scheme]]. In 2008, Singh was unsuccessfully sued for [[libel]] by the [[British Chiropractic Association]] for criticising their activities in a column in The Guardian]].{{cite news | url = http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mandrake/2570744/Doctors-take-Simon-Singh-to-court.html | title = Doctors take Simon Singh to court |last=Eden |first=R | date=16 August 2008 | work = [[The Daily Telegraph]]|accessdate=12 December 2008}} A "furious [[Backlash (sociology)|backlash]]"Martin Robbins. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/mar/01/simon-singh-libel-case-chiropractors Furious backlash from Simon Singh libel case puts chiropractors on ropes]. "One in four chiropractors in Britain are under investigation as a result of campaign by Singh supporters." The Guardian]], 1 March 2010 to the now dropped lawsuit has resulted in the filing of formal complaints of false advertising against more than 500 individual chiropractors within one 24 hour period, one national chiropractic organisation ordering its members to take down their websites, and Nature Medicine]] noting that the case had gathered wide support for Singh, as well as prompting calls for the reform of English libel laws.{{cite web |url=http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/v15/n7/full/nm0709-723b.html |title=Lawsuit sparks calls for libel law reform |publisher=Nature Medicine |author=Cassandra Willyard |accessdate=8 July 2009}} On 1 April 2010, Simon Singh won his court appeal for the right to rely on the defence of fair comment.{{cite web | url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/apr/01/simon-singh-wins-libel-court | publisher=Guardian | title=Simon Singh wins libel court battle | accessdate=1 April 2010}} On 15 April 2010, the BCA officially withdrew its lawsuit, ending the case.{{cite web | url=http://www.elyplace.com/index.aspx?p=1&articleId=208 | publisher=Ely Place | title=British Chiropractic Association v Singh - BCA admits defeat | accessdate=15 April 2010}} == Life and career == [[File:Simon Singh.jpg|thumb|left]] Singhs parents emigrated from the [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] in [[India]] to [[UK|Britain]] in 1950. He grew up in [[Wellington, Somerset]], attending [[Wellington School, Somerset|Wellington School]], and went on to [[Imperial College London]], where he studied [[Physics]]. He was active in the student union, becoming President of the [[Royal College of Science]] Union.{{cite web|url=http://www.imperial.ac.uk/college.asp?P=2579|title=The Simon Singh Interview|date=October 1999|publisher=Imperial College London|accessdate=29 November 2009}} Later he completed a [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]] degree in [[particle physics]] at [[Emmanuel College, Cambridge|Emmanuel College]], [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge University]] and at [[CERN]], Geneva.Ph.D. thesis title: "Heavy flavour physics at the CERN p=p collider" Verified at [http://www.theses.com/idx/scripts/it.asp?xml=F:\index\idx\docs\all\40\it00176091.htm&subfolder=/search] require subscription, eg. university subscription, to see it) In 1990 he joined the BBC Science and Features Department, where he was a producer and director working on programmes such as [[Tomorrows World]] and [[Horizon (BBC TV series)|Horizon]] In 1996, he directed Fermats Last Theorem, a British Academy of Film and Television Arts award-winning documentary about the worlds most notorious mathematical problem. The film was memorable for its opening shot of a middle-aged mathematician, Andrew Wiles holding back tears as he recalled the moment when he finally realised how to resolve the fundamental error in his proof of Fermats Last Theorem. The documentary was originally transmitted in October 1997 as an edition of the BBC [[Horizon (BBC TV series)|Horizon]]series. It was also aired in America as part of the NOVA (TV series) The Proof as it was re-titled, was nominated for an Emmy Award The story of this celebrated mathematical problem was also the subject of Singhs first book, [[Fermats Enigma|Fermat last theorem]]. This was the first book about mathematics to become a No 1 bestseller in the [[United Kingdom|UK]].{{Citation needed|date=June 2009}} In 1997, he began working on his second book, he Code Book, a history of [[codes]] and [[codebreaking]]. As well as explaining the science of codes and describing the impact of [[cryptography]] on [[history]], the book also contends that [[cryptography]] is more important today than ever before. he Code Book has resulted in a return to television for him. He presented he Science of Secrecy, a five part series for Channel 4. The stories in the series range from the [[cipher]] that sealed the fate of [[Mary, Queen of Scots]], to the coded [[Zimmermann Telegram]] that changed the course of the [[World War I|First World War]]. Other programmes discuss how two great 19th century geniuses raced to decipher Egyptian [[Egyptian hieroglyphs|hieroglyphs]] and how modern encryption can guarantee privacy on the [[Internet]]. In October 2004, Singh published a book entitled ig Bang, which tells the history of the universe. It is told in his trademark style, by following the remarkable stories of the people who put the pieces together. In 2003, Singh was made a Member of the [[Order of the British Empire]] (MBE) for services to Science, Technology and Engineering in Education and Science Communication.{{LondonGazette |issue=56963 |date=14 June 2003 |supp=yes |startpage=22 }} In the same year he was made octor of Letters (honoris causa) by [[Loughborough University]], and in 2005 was given an honorary degree in Mathematics by [[Southampton University]]. Currently, he is involved more in [[television]] and [[radio]] programmes, including Further Five Numbers (BBC Radio 4, 2005). He made headlines in 2005 when he criticised the [[Katie Melua]] song "[[Nine Million Bicycles]]" for inaccurate lyrics referring to the size of the [[observable universe]]. Singh proposed corrected lyrics, though he used the value of 13.7 billion light years; accounting for expansion of the universe, the [[comoving distance]] to the edge of the observable universe is 46.5 billion light years.{{cite news|url=http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/comment/story/0,9828,1581826,00.html|title=Katie Meluas bad science|last=Singh|first=Simon|date=30 September 2005|publisher=The Guardian|accessdate=12 December 2008}}{{cite web | last = Lineweaver | first = Charles | coauthors = Tamara M. Davis | year = 2005 | url = http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=misconceptions-about-the-2005-03&page=5 | title = Misconceptions about the Big Bang | publisher = [[Scientific American]] | accessdate = 6 November 2008}} [[BBC Radio 4]]s Today programme brought Melua and Singh together in a radio studio where Melua recorded a tongue-in-cheek version of the song that had been written by Singh.{{cite web |url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/listenagain_20051015.shtml |title= Listen Again |publisher= BBC Radio 4 |work= Today Programme |date= 15 October 2005 |accessdate= 18 May 2008}} In 2006, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Design degree by the [[University of the West of England]] "in recognition of Simon Singh’s outstanding contribution to the public understanding of science, in particular in the promotion of science, engineering and mathematics in schools and in the building of links between universities and schools".{{cite web|url=http://info.uwe.ac.uk/news/UWEnews/article.asp?item=961|title=UWE awards honorary degree to Dr Simon Singh MBE|date=28 November 2006|work=News 2006|publisher=University of the West of England|accessdate=12 December 2008}} This was followed up by his receipt of the [[Kelvin Prize|Kelvin Medal]] from the [[Institute of Physics]] in 2008, for his achievements in promoting Physics to the general public.{{cite web|url=http://www.iop.org/activity/awards/Subject_Awards/The_Kelvin_Medal_and_Prize/page_1787.html|title=The Kelvin Medal and Prize: 2008 Medallist|work=Subject Awards|publisher=Institute of Physics|accessdate=12 December 2008}} In July 2008, he was also awarded a degree of Doctor of Science (onoris Causa) by [[Royal Holloway, University of London]].{{cite web|url=http://www.rhul.ac.uk/messages/press/message.asp?ref_no=1738|title=2008 Honorary Graduates and Fellows become part of a prestigious network|work=Media & Events |publisher=Royal Holloway, University of London|accessdate=12 December 2008}} == Chiropractic lawsuit and backlash == {{anchor|Chiropractic lawsuit}} On 19 April 2008, The Guardian]] published Singhs column "Beware the spinal trap",{{cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/apr/19/health|title=Beware the spinal trap|last=Singh|first=Simon|date=19 April 2008|publisher=[[The Guardian]]|accessdate=21 January 2009|archiveurl=http://svetlana14s.narod.ru/Simon_Singhs_silenced_paper.html|archivedate=13 November 2008}}[http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/simon_singh/ Comment is Free], he Guardian an article that was critical of the practice of [[chiropractic]] and which resulted in Singh being sued for [[libel]] by the [[British Chiropractic Association]]. When the case was first brought against him, he Guardian supported him and funded his legal advice, as well as offering to pay the BCAs legal costs in an [[out-of-court settlement]] if Singh chose to settle.{{cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/may/13/simon-singh-british-chiropractic-association|title=Science writer accused of libel may take fight to European court|last=Boseley|first=Sarah|date=Thursday 14 May 2009|publisher=The Guardian (UK)|accessdate=19 May 2009}} The article developed the theme of the recently published book by Singh and [[Edzard Ernst]], Trick or Treatment? Alternative Medicine on Trial , and made various statements about the usefulness of chiropractic "for such problems as otitis media and baby colic :

You might think that modern chiropractors restrict themselves to treating back problems, but in fact they still possess some quite wacky ideas. The fundamentalists argue that they can cure anything. And even the more moderate chiropractors have ideas above their station. The British Chiropractic Association claims that their members can help treat children with baby colic sleeping and feeding problems, frequent ear infections, asthma and prolonged crying, even though there is not a jot of evidence. This organisation is the respectable face of the chiropractic profession and yet it happily promotes bogus treatments.

On Thursday 7 May 2009, a preliminary hearing took place at the Royal Courts of Justice in front of David Eady The judge held that merely using the phrase "happily promotes bogus treatments" meant that he was stating, as a matter of fact, that the British Chiropractic Association was being consciously dishonest in promoting chiropractic for treating the childrens ailments in question. Singh denied he intended any such meaning and stated that such an interpretation made it very difficult for him to fight his case in court as he had planned: "If we go to trial its almost impossible for me to defend the article, because its something I never meant in the first place." Singhs campaign team announced via its Facebook group on 4 June 2009that Singh had resolved to make an appeal against Mr Justice Eadys ruling. This decision raised substantially the potential financial liability that Singh might face personally if he had lost the case. On 14 October 2009 Singh was granted leave to appeal Mr Justice Eadys decision by John Laws (judge) lt;/ref> Singh responded to the judgement that it was the "best possible result" but warned that he would try not to get his hopes up: "We have only won leave to appeal. Now we must convince the Court of Appeal on the issue of meaning. There is a long battle ahead."lt;/ref> The pre-trial hearing took place on 23 February 2010 at the Royal Courts of Justice. The three judges were the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales Lord Judge the Master of the Rolls Lord Neuberger and Lord Justice Sedley three of the most senior judges in the UK.lt;/ref> On 1 April 2010, they allowed Singhs appeal, ruling that the high court judge had "erred in his approach". Before the ruling, commentators had suggested that Eadys ruling could set a precedent to restrict freedom of speech to criticise alternative medicine lt;/ref>lt;/ref> An editorial in Naturecommented on the case, and suggested that the BCA may be trying to suppress debate and that this use of English libel law is a burden on the right to freedom of expression, which is protected by the European Convention on Human Rights lt;/ref> [[The Wall Street Journal Europe]]cited the case as an example of how British libel law "chills free speech", commenting that:

As a consequence, the U.S. Congress is considering a bill that would make British libel judgments unenforceable in the U.S. ... Mr. Singh is unlikely to be the last victim of Britains libel laws. Settling scientific and political disputes through lawsuits, though, runs counter the very principles that have made Western progress possible. "The aim of science is not to open the door to infinite wisdom, but to set a limit to infinite error," Bertolt Brecht wrote in [[The Life of Galileo]].It is time British politicians restrain the law so that wisdom prevails in the land, and not errors."Salil Tripathi. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124406714025182743.html Britain Chills Free Speech]. [[The Wall Street Journal]] Europe 4 June 2009

File:Sas-libel-2.png which has published this button in his favour.]]The charity Sense About Science launched a campaignhttp://www.senseaboutscience.org.uk/index.php/site/project/333/ Sign up now to keep the libel laws out of science!] Sense about Science lt;/ref> to draw attention to the case. They issued a statement entitled "The English law of libel has no place in scientific disputes about evidence",http://www.senseaboutscience.org.uk/index.php/site/project/334 The law has no place in scientific disputes]. Sense about Science lt;/ref> which has been signed by myriad individuals representing science, journalism, publishing, arts, humanities, entertainment, sceptics, campaign groups and law. As of 29 November 2009, over 20,000 had signed.http://www.senseaboutscience.org.uk/index.php/site/project/375/ The campaign at a glance] Many press sources have covered the issue.Press Coverage * [[The Independent]] http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/silenced-the-writer-who-dared-to-say-chiropractice-is-bogus-1696408.html Silenced, the writer who dared to say chiropractice is bogus] * [[The Times]] http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article6426195.ece Review of libel law called for by comedians] * [[The Guardian]] online http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/jun/04/simon-singh-libel-british-chiropractic-association-bca Science writer Simon Singh to appeal against chiropractic libel judgement] * [[Nature (journal)|Nature news]] http://www.nature.com/news/2009/090603/full/news.2009.542.html Science writer will appeal libel case ruling] * [[Times Higher Education]] http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode26&storycode406872&c1 Singh plans to appeal ruling in libel case] * [[Wall Street Journal]] http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124406714025182743.html Britain Chills Free Speech] * [[The Daily Telegraph]] online http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/science/sciencenews/5442522/Stephen-Fry-and-Ricky-Gervais-defend-science-writer-sued-for-libel.html Stephen Fry and Ricky Gervais defend science writer sued for libel] * [[The Daily Mail]] online http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1190863/Stars-writer-sues-chiropractors-saying-unproven-treatment-bogus.html Celebrities back writer sued by chiropractors for saying unproven treatment is bogus] *[[The Lawyer]] http://www.thelawyer.com/simon-singh%E2%80%99s-bogus-journey/1003557.article Simon Singhs Bogus Journey] The publicity produced by the libel action has led to a "furious backlash", with formal complaints of false advertising being made against more than 500 individual chiropractors within one 24 hour period,lt;/ref>lt;/ref> with the number later climbing to one quarter of all British chiropractors. It also prompted the McTimoney Chiropractic Association to write in a leaked message to its members advising them to remove leaflets that make claims about whiplash and colic from their practice, to be wary of new patients and telephone inquiries, and telling their members: "If you have a website, take it down NOW." and "Finally, we strongly suggest you do NOT discuss this with others, especially patients." One chiropractor is quoted as saying that "Suing Simon was worse than any Streisand effect and chiropractors know it and can do nothing about it." After demands that the British Chiropractic Association "engage in scientific debate over its position", the BCA produced its scientific evidence in a statement "supported by just 29 citations", which was: : "ripped apart by bloggers within 24 hours of publication, before being subjected to a further shredding in the British Medical Journal. It emerged that 10 of the papers cited had nothing to do with chiropractic treatment, and several werent even studies. The remainder consisted of a small collection of poor-quality trials. More seriously, the BCA misled the public with a misrepresentation of one paper, a Cochrane review looking at the effectiveness of various treatments for bed-wetting..." In a new report, the General Chiropractic Council "has disowned the claims of the BCA – the same claims that lie at the centre of its libel action against Simon Singh.... Notably, the report concludes that the evidence does not support claims that chiropractic treatment is effective for childhood colic, bed-wetting, ear infections or asthma, the very claims that Singh was sued for describing as "bogus". On 1 April 2010, Singh won his appeal over the meaning of his comments.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8598472.stm Science writer Simon Singh wins libel appeal] BBC news 1 April 2010 The BCA had included in their case the assertion that by saying that it "happily promotes bogus treatments", Singh had accused the BCA of knowingly acting in a dishonest manner. The Court of Appeal overturned the previous ruling that his comments were an assertion of fact and instead ruled that they were fair comment http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE63018820100401 Science writer wins "fair comment" libel appeal] Reuters, 1 April 2010 Singh can now use the "fair comment" clause to defend himself. The full text of the 1 April 2010 judgementhttp://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2010/350.html included the following statement: : 23: The present case is not in this class: the material words, however one represents or paraphrases their meaning, are in our judgment expressions of opinion. The opinion may be mistaken, but to allow the party which has been denounced on the basis of it to compel its author to prove in court what he has asserted by way of argument is to invite the court to become an Orwellian ministry of truth. Milton, recalling in the Areopagitica his visit to Italy in 1638-9, wrote: :: "I have sat among their learned men, for that honour I had, and been counted happy to be born in such a place of philosophic freedom, as they supposed England was, while themselves did nothing but bemoan the servile condition into which learning among them was brought; .... that nothing had been there written now these many years but flattery and fustian. There it was that I found and visited the famous Galileo, grown old a prisoner of the Inquisition, for thinking in astronomy otherwise than the Franciscan and Dominican licensers thought." : That is a pass to which we ought not to come again. On 15 April it was announced that the BCA had withdrawn their libel action.lt;/ref>lt;/ref>

Bibliography

* * * * *

References

External links

Biographical

* http://www.simonsingh.net Simon Singhs official website] * http://www.nesta.org.uk/insidenesta/bios/2147/ Dr Simon Singh biography from NESTA] * http://www.convilleandwalsh.com/index.php/authors/author/simon-singh/ Simon Singhs page], Conville and Walsh

Radio shows

* http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/5numbers.shtml Simon Singh: The five most important numbers in mathematics] * http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/another5.shtml Simon Singh: Another five numbers] * http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/further5.shtml Simon Singh: A further five numbers]

Other

* http://www.nesta.org.uk/ourawardees/profiles/2069/ Theatre of Science, Simon Singh and Richard Wiseman funded by NESTA] * http://www.uas.ac.uk Undergraduate Ambassadors Scheme, co-founded by Simon Singh] * http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1072-1642336,00.html Simon Singh: No miracle cure for junk science] * The British Chiropractic Association http://www.chiropractic-uk.co.uk/ web site]. * Archive of http://web.archive.org/web/20070206003656/http://www.chiropractic-uk.co.uk/gfx/uploads/textbox/Happy+families.pdf Happy Families], a PDF brochure removed (http://www.chiropractic-uk.co.uk/gfx/uploads/textbox/Happy%20families.pdf Happy Families]) by the BCA from their web site. This brochure claimed that “chiropractic care . . . helped children” with asthma bedwetting and baby colic claims Dr. Singh took issue with in the now-censored article. * http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2009/1154.html Transcript] of Court of Appeal judgment on leave to appeal, 14 October 2009. * In lieu of any press release or public statement by the BCA in this matter, http://jackofkent.blogspot.com/2008/08/ten-questions-british-chiropractic.html Ten Questions that BCA Members Should Now Be Asking], an analysis of the legal and practical position that BCA members are in as a result of this lawsuit, by http://jackofkent.blogspot.com/ Jack of Kent]. * http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2008/08/chiropractors-try-to-silence-simon.html Chiropractors Try to Silence Simon Singh]: excerpts of http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/apr/19/health original article] (now http://svetlana14s.narod.ru/Simon_Singhs_silenced_paper.html here]) with commentary and links to further discussions. * http://www.convilleandwalsh.com/index.php/news-views/comments/simon-singh-talks-about-his-court-appeal/ Simon Singh talks about his court appeal] Category:1964 births Category:Living people Category:Alumni of Imperial College London Category:English people of Indian descent Category:English science writers Category:Recreational cryptographers Category:People associated with the University of the West of England Category:People from Wellington, Somerset Category:Chiropractic Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire Category:Punjabi people da:Simon Singh de:Simon Singh es:Simon Singh fr:Simon Singh it:Simon Singh he:סיימון סינג ja:サイモン・シン no:Simon Singh pl:Simon Singh pt:Simon Singh ru:Сингх, Саймон sk:Simon Singh sv:Simon Singh