Helen Pearson – författare

The remarkable story of the global movement championing the idea that evidence, not opinions, should guide our decisionsToday, more and more people around the globe are using scientific evidence to figure out what works—in health, government and business as well as conservation, schools and parenting. This wasn’t always the case. This book tells the story of the evidence revolution—a worldwide movement that promotes evidence-based thinking—and shows how it can help us all, especially in an age of alternative facts.For many years, most medical advice was based on doctors’ opinions and conventional wisdom, not solid science. Helen Pearson describes how evidence-based medicine swept the world in the 1990s—becoming the predominant form of medicine practiced today—and how the idea that evidence should guide decisions is quietly transforming a host of other fields as well. Do police patrols reduce crime? Do performance appraisals boost job performance? Do welfare programs help the poor? Do smaller classes aid learning? Do smartphones harm teenagers? At a time when science is under attack and questionable claims run rampant, Pearson underscores the importance of evidence in all facets of our lives, empowering each of us to sift fact from falsehood and misinformation from the truth.Essential reading for the rational-minded, Beyond Belief is an engaging portrait of the mavericks, visionaries and rebels who share the simple belief that decisions based on evidence make the world a better place.

LONGLISTED FOR THE 2017 ORWELL PRIZE'Eye-opening, extraordinary insights into ordinary lives' Financial Times'Superb' Literary ReviewThe remarkable story of a unique series of studies that have touched the lives of almost everyone in Britain todayIn March 1946, scientists began to track thousands of children born in one cold week. No one imagined that this would become the longest-running study of human development in the world, growing to encompass five generations of children. Today, they are some of the best-studied people on the planet, and the simple act of observing human life has changed the way we are born, schooled, parent and die. This is the tale of these studies and the remarkable discoveries that have come from them. Touching almost every person in Britain today, they are one of our best-kept secrets.'If you ever wondered whether the circumstances of your early life steered you along a particular path, look no further than this book ... highly readable ... a goldmine of social history' Eric Kaufmann, Literary Review'Hugely engaging ... the scientists are an irresistibly eccentric, passionate bunch' Nick Curtis, Evening Standard

LONGLISTED FOR THE 2017 ORWELL PRIZEThe remarkable story of a unique series of studies that have touched the lives of almost everyone in Britain todayOn 3rd March 1946 a survey began that is, today, the longest-running study of human development in the world, growing to encompass six generations of children, 150,000 individuals and some of the best-studied people on the planet. The simple act of observing human life has changed the way we are born, schooled, parent and die, irrevocably altering our understanding of inequality and health. This is the tale of these studies; the scientists who created and sustain them, the remarkable discoveries that have come from them. The envy of scientists around the world, they are one of Britain's best-kept secrets.

The remarkable story of the global movement championing the idea that evidence, not opinions, should guide our decisionsToday, more and more people around the globe are using scientific evidence to figure out what worksin health, government and business as well as conservation, schools and parenting. This wasn't always the case. This book tells the story of the evidence revolutiona worldwide movement that promotes evidence-based thinkingand shows how it can help us all, especially in an age of alternative facts.For many years, most medical advice was based on doctors' opinions and conventional wisdom, not solid science. Helen Pearson describes how evidence-based medicine swept the world in the 1990sbecoming the predominant form of medicine practiced todayand how the idea that evidence should guide decisions is quietly transforming a host of other fields as well. Do police patrols reduce crime? Do performance appraisals boost job performance? Do welfare programs help the poor? Do smaller classes aid learning? Do smartphones harm teenagers? At a time when science is under attack and questionable claims run rampant, Pearson underscores the importance of evidence in all facets of our lives, empowering each of us to sift fact from falsehood and misinformation from the truth.Essential reading for the rational-minded, Beyond Belief is an engaging portrait of the mavericks, visionaries and rebels who share the simple belief that decisions based on evidence make the world a better place.

The remarkable story of the global movement championing the idea that evidence, not opinions, should guide our decisionsToday, more and more people around the globe are using scientific evidence to figure out what worksin health, government and business as well as conservation, schools and parenting. This wasn't always the case. This book tells the story of the evidence revolutiona worldwide movement that promotes evidence-based thinkingand shows how it can help us all, especially in an age of alternative facts.For many years, most medical advice was based on doctors' opinions and conventional wisdom, not solid science. Helen Pearson describes how evidence-based medicine swept the world in the 1990sbecoming the predominant form of medicine practiced todayand how the idea that evidence should guide decisions is quietly transforming a host of other fields as well. Do police patrols reduce crime? Do performance appraisals boost job performance? Do welfare programs help the poor? Do smaller classes aid learning? Do smartphones harm teenagers? At a time when science is under attack and questionable claims run rampant, Pearson underscores the importance of evidence in all facets of our lives, empowering each of us to sift fact from falsehood and misinformation from the truth.Essential reading for the rational-minded, Beyond Belief is an engaging portrait of the mavericks, visionaries and rebels who share the simple belief that decisions based on evidence make the world a better place.