Two sides of one coin
There are different kinds of scientific awards: given for real, profound and for absurd, unfounded researches. Institution of awards also pursues different objectives: some awards are to praise for a hard scientific work, others to control and restrain absurd initiatives, to destroy stereotypes and to calm alarmists.
Usually, different awards go independently, but sometimes the founders institute double awards. So, the National Anxiety Center instituted the Chicken Little Award and the Julian Simon Award.
The Julian Simon Award
The Julian Simon Award is the serious honorable prize; it is given for critical thinking about the Environment. Mr. Simon was a professor of a business administration who researched demographic and environmental forecasts. Once, he wagered with Paul Erlich that prices of five metals would sink in a decade. At that moment demands for the quality of metals were increasing so Elrich was certain about his stake, but the pessimistic professor won the bet.
The Chicken Little Award
The Chicken Little Award is named in honor of its prototype from a Walt Disney cartoon. Those who exaggeratedly predict the impending destruction of our environment are awarded with this prize. This Award is also supported by the Science and Environmental Policy Project.
Laureates of the Chicken Little Award
Paul Elrich, Julian Simons rival, became one of the Chicken Little Award laureates. He backed up the Malthusian ideas about critical overpopulation of the Earth and even wrote his book The Population Bomb (1968) that millions of people will starve to death during seventies-eighties.
A scientific observer from New York Times William Stevens received this award in 1995. He wrote more than 90 articles which concerned the threat of global warming. Founders of the award did not found any scientific substantiation of this menace.
A whole State California got this encouraging award when its authority detained the electrification program for the reasons of environmental protection.
The Julian Simon Award And The Chicken Little Award