CHICAGO, July 21 (UPI) -- The general public may soon have easy Internet access to easy-to-understand scientific information, thanks to two professors.
Michael Eisen, a University of California-Berkeley professor, and Dr. Patrick Brown, a Stanford University School of Medicine professor, are launching on-line journals that will be available to the public without charge.
Eisen told the Chicago Tribune many people hoping to learn about effective screening methods for prostate cancer, for example, are often required to pay for the information. He said "that should be a public scandal."
Eisen and Brown are creating two on-line science journals -- one in chemistry and the other covering biology -- for the Public Library of Science.
The Tribune said PLoS Biology will launch in October, and PLoS Medicine by mid-2004. Both will provide summaries written in easy-to-understand language, countering concerns the average person does not understand medical and scientific jargon.
The newspaper said the new services might alter the course of scientific publishing.
