Live updates from the global March for Science

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PARIS

More from Paris

The Paris march is taking its time, stopping at various research and higher education landmarks for speeches along the way. After a lengthy pause at the Université Pierre et Marie Curie, we're now at the Collėge de France, where speakers lament the Trump administration's views on climate change and the French government's broken promisies. Organizers say there are between 4500 and 5200 marchers, which seems about right. The march is relaxed but a bit subdued -- not nearly the level of noise and anger you see at sone rallies here.

Okay, the crowd is moving again. Next stop: the Sorbonne. --Martin Enserink

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LONDON

Retraction watch in London

James Wagstaff, a University of Cambridge Ph.D. student in molecular biology, set some realistic expectations at the London march. "We don't want to have to retract our sign," he told me. --Erik Stokstad

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Amsterdam

We all scream for ice cream, and science

Throughout the day, an estimated 2000 people have come to the Museum Square in Amsterdam for this city’s March for Science event. In front of the Rijks Museum, the largest museum on Dutch heritage in the country and holder of some of the most well-known pieces of art in the world, like the Night Watch from Rembrandt, a nice science fair took place. Many activities were inside two white tents, not a bad choice given it was fairly cold and rainy today. The tent run by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences was popular although that may be because it offered free ice cream. Small exhibits with experiments were everywhere, mainly done by volunteers from different Dutch universities and other science institutes. You could enjoy watching what happens when a marshmallow sits in a vacuum, or just look through a telescope. Scientists in front of research posters explained scientific concepts, like climate change and fabrication of the flu vaccine. One protester’s sign quipped “Science: running everything since 1543,” a reference to Nicolaus Copernicus’ treatise that year arguing our planet revolves around the sun, instead of the other way. --Krijn Soeteman

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PARIS

“I’m marching for her”

We're marching past the National Museum for Natural History now, one of many science landmarks along the way. Nélima Heuzé and Antoine Chaillet (below) are marching clad in lab coats, along with their daughter, who's taking pictures. Chaillot says he's troubled by the rise in fake news and uncritical thinking, even among his own relatives. Heuzé, who has test tubes attached to her hat, points at her daughter and says: "I'm marching for her."  --Martin Enserink

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BERLIN

Ending with an ode to freedom of thought

The Berlin march has ended with the crowd singing, in harmony, “Die Gedanken sind frei” a German folk song that was prohibited during the student unrest of the 1840s, and again during the Third Reich. It is one of Germany’s most beloved protest songs. --Gretchen Vogel

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Barcelona

Beachside science discussion in Barcelona

About 40 volunteers organized this city’s March for Science event, a roundtable discussion not far from one of its famous urban beaches.  Pablo Rodríguez Ros of the Institute of Marine sciences, one among the hundreds of attendee, says he gave up a Saturday “because I think science should be closer to society. We need to involve people to improve the wellbeing of society. We help you, but we need society's help too.”

The event began with a reading of a pro-science manifesto in three languages: English, Spanish, and Catalan. One part declared: “It is worrying the rising acceptance of environmental and safety policies that purposefully go against scientific evidences such as the effectiveness of vaccination, the theory of evolution or climate change.”

The roundtable included scientists, journalists and science policy officials. “We need to march for open science, not just science,” said Joan Subirats a political scientist at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. Another panelist, Mara Dierssen, a neurobiologist at the Centre of Genomic Research, argued that “countries that invest a lot in science have a higher level of life quality and stronger economies. “ Pere Estupinyà, a  journalist participating in the roundtable, also noted “Science is not easy, because sometimes it tells us things we don't want to hear. We can't cherry pick only the things we like!” --Luca Tancredi Barone

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BERLIN

10,000 marchers? “That would be an unverified fact.”

Science’s Gretchen Vogel reports from the speeches:

Berlin mayor Michael Müller tells the crowd that while Berlin has a history of great science, it also has a dark chapter when science and scientists were persecuted and silenced. Therefore we especially stand with scientists around the world who suffer political persecution, he says. There is a big cheer for solidarity with Central European University in Budapest, which the Hungarian government has targeted for closure.

Speakers have had to ask the crowd to squeeze forward more so everyone could fit in the allotted space, which is Paritzer Platz, in front of the Brandenburg gate. One speaker, science journalist Ranga Yogeshwar, says there is a rumor that the police estimate 10,000 marchers, "but I want to be careful. That would be an unverified fact."

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PARIS

“Marty, science is in danger!”

A sign referencing the film Back to the Future is among those being held by marchers in a crowd of at least a thousand people that has gathered outside the Jardin des Plantes in Paris. Trade unions out in force, it seems. Speeches denouncing Donald Trump and attacks in science and education are in progress; the actual march will start later. --Martin Enserink

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AUSTRALIA

The numbers are in from down under

About 10,000 people marched in eight events nationwide, with 4000 in Melbourne, 3000 in Sydney, and 1000 in Canberra, according to Jocelyn Prasad, media coordinator for March for Science Australia. --Dennis Normile

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BERLIN

Berlin hits the road

In Berlin, marchers gathered at Humboldt University, across from bebelplatz, where Nazis burned books. They marched past the Hungarian embassy, where some marchers held signs in support of the central European university. They have now reached the Brandenburg gate. Organizers just said the crowd is between 4 and 5000 people. --Gretchen Vogel