Live updates from the global March for Science

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AUCKLAND

New Zealand sounds off

Science contributor Ian Randall is in Auckland, New Zealand, where the march recently began. Participants are chanting "science stops silence!" -- and "science not silence!" -- as they head up Queen Street in Central Auckland, he reports, led by microbiologist Siouxsie Wiles.

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BUSAN

South Korea joins in

Marchers in Busan plan to gather at a Korean War veterans memorial, conduct some group chants, and march around the perimeter of the park. Busan is South Korea's second biggest city, behind Seoul.

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AUSTRALIA

Australians start heading to their marches

David Hyland-Wood, a writer, speaker, and computer researcher, took this shot of some marchers heading for the march in Brisbane. Australia's marches are about to get underway. Bernadette Hyland (right) is a Ph.D. student at the University of Queensland studying evidence-based policy. The two students to the left will be speaking at the march, Hyland-Wood says.

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TOKORIKI

Can't beat this marcher's view

Julie Robson, a former lemur geneticist, and her 7-year-olddaughter join the New Zealand marchers in spirit from a Fiji beach. Robson,whose @joolzr Twitter bio says she's a "primatologist who got a bit lost,and found her place to stand," now works as a consultant for theUniversity of Auckland, nongovernmental organizations, and others.

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CHRISTCHURCH

Flower power

Megan Woods, a member of New Zealand's parliament representing the Labour Party, is among the marchers and took this photo. "Wanting us politicians to use evidence when making policy is not confined to scientists," she wrote on Twitter. Woods is the Labour spokesperson for climate change.

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CHRISTCHURCH

Leaf science alone

Marchers gather in Cathedral Square before an 18-meter-high sculpture that commemorated the new millennium. It depicts the leaves of 42 plant species that are native to the island nation.

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WASHINGTON, D.C.

What are editorial pages saying?

The marches haven’t started yet, but editorial page writersaround the world are already weighing in. Here’s a small sampling of opinions:

The Washington Post argues that “The March for Science couldsave lives” by reminding the public of the importance of research to fightdiseases such as Ebola. But it urges marchers to remember that winning sciencefunding battles can mean plunging into politics. “Many of those organizing andparticipating in the March for Science say it is a statement of belief in thepower of empirical discovery, and not an anti-Trump protest,” the Posteditorial notes. “It is fine to remain nonpartisan, but that should not meanbeing blissfully ignorant of the realities of politics. The battles to come inWashington over spending priorities could determine whether the United Stateswill remain a global leader in scientific research.”

In Australia, the Sydney Morning Herald notes that“Australians are not used to scientists and engineers being public figures.”Still, it “welcomes this public expression of support for science andrationality. However, we worry that displays of hubris or overt attempts topoliticise the debate for narrow self-interest could cause a backlash among thevery people the organisers claim to be speaking to: members of the public whodo not trust science.”

At Cleveland.com, a roundtable of editorial writers wasgenerally supportive of the march. But Ted Diadiun, one editorial board member,took a dim view. “A grandstand play, put on by people who don’t like Trump orthe GOP, regardless, that has nothing to do with climate change, alternativefuels or any other science. These folks ought to put their pocket protectorsback in their short-sleeved dress shirts and get back into the labs where theybelong.”

The Independent, which serves Livermore, California—home tothe Department of Energy’s Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory -- notes that“science plays a large role in the economy of the area” and is urging localscientists to “take a stand in favor of research; take part in the march.” --David Malakoff

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WASHINGTON, D.C.

Ready, set …

Welcome to Science’s live, global coverage of the March forScience.

The first of more than 600 marches will kick off in New Zealandon Friday night, U.S. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The Washington, D.C., marchopens its grounds at 8 a.m. EDT. The last marches will occur in Hawaii onSaturday night EDT.

Science reporters are on the ground around the world,following the action and speaking with marchers. Come back to see our frequentupdates, and follow along on Twitter at @ScienceInsider and @NewsfromScience.

If you are marching this weekend, please take a moment tofill out our survey. And if you want to catch up on all of our previous marchcoverage, check out our March for Science story archive.

Finally, feel free to tweet your march thoughts and picturesto @ScienceInsider.