By Rhiannon Tise

Feb 26th -30th March 2007
United Kingdom Tour

‘James Hansen, long-time director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Spaces Studies, has alleged that officials at NASA head quarters had order the public affairs staff to review his coming lectures, postings on the Goddard Website and requests for interviews from Journalists.

After Hansen had made a speech and released data on Dec 15th 2005, which proved that 2005 was the warmest year in the last century, officials at the HQ of the space agency repeatedly phoned public affairs officers who relayed the warning to Dr Hansen that there would be ‘dire consequences’ if he continued to make such statements’.                         
(taken from an essay by Rosslyn Stewart, UEA Graduate (Bsc Environmental Science 2006)            

Using this as a starting point, The Silencer exploreS the dilemma’s scientists working in this field face. The scientist wants to report his/her findings to the world and warn against a possible future but what if he or his family were put at risk by those with greater authority or potential media/political power?

Dr Brian Heath is a renowned and trusted scientist works for a Government agency and is preparing to give a controversial lecture about climate change. His boss, and old friend, Yolanda, warns him to back down but he refuses point blank: claiming its his job as a scientist to report on his research and tell the truth. He won’t be silenced.

Meanwhile Simon, Heath’s son, is caught up in a nasty world of gambling debt and Anna, Heath’s daughter finds out and threatens to tell their father.

Yolanda is pressured by those above her to take action to stop Brian’s lecture but all persuasion is futile as Brian won’t hear of not delivering his lecture.

Anna prepares a big birthday dinner for her dad, to which Yolanda is invited. She brings with her a letter stating that if Brian does not back down then Anna’s life is at risk.

Brian will not take the threat seriously but Yolanda and Simon convince him otherwise and the family flee their home for a safe house. Anna is kept in the dark about the threat on her life but soon the shocking truth behind the real silencer is revealed. 

	For further information about this project, email our Tour Producer David Jackson