Science Denial

"People no longer believe in science. Popular opinion has shifted against objective truth and towards 'alternative facts'. But when a terrifying new plague is unleashed, ginkgo tree extract, healing crystals and snake oil can only do so much. Can the exiled experts save the world?" — Plague Inc., Science Denial introduction paragraph

News headline talking about the meeting of several experts to create a community to promote the development of science.

Science Denial is an official scenario introduced in Mutation 1.16, which involves the spread of conspiracy ideologies around the world, causing general distrust of the scientific community. Radically changing how the world may react to the spread of disease.

Within this scenario, the main obstacle the player will have to face is the exiled scientific community that will try to establish a “utopia” in a random country and will try to do everything possible to gather important scientists to find a cure for the disease. The scenario was announced that it was being developed during 2018 as part of the “Royal Update” with the aim of satirizing various conspiracy groups that promote theories such as the Flat Earth, Climate Change Denial and the Anti-Vaccine Movement.

Effects

One of the random popups that appears in this scenario about flat earth theories.

Similar to Sovereign Default, research capabilities has been slashed to about half the usual amount, leaving only 158 flasks worldwide, as the world rejects science. It favours the player most of the time, as it takes much longer to develop a cure. There are no cure bubbles to destroy, meaning that Catalytic Switch is useless.

To compensate for the reduced development capabilities, a “Super Science” utopia will spawn in a random country, granting that country the maximum Cure Effort potential, with 10 flasks. It will be revealed in a pop-up later in the game.

Additionally, when the cure is developed successfully for the first time in this scenario, it will fail to deploy. Furious anti-science protesters will destroy the cure, essentially doubling the research requirement.

If the science utopia was destroyed by the plague or the protesters, humans will stop to believe in quarantine and are willing to reopen their borders, if they've closed them before. This does not prevent them from being closed by the government thereafter, however.

Events

Rumours about the spread of a new disease

Conspiracy groups resort to use of alternative medicine to find possible treatment

Unlike the Main Game, much of humanity will try alternative methods of dealing with the disease. In the event that the disease begins to spread but shows no noticeable symptoms, there is a chance that the public will create rumours about a possible pandemic but will be denied by doctors.

Additionally, in the event that the disease is causing enough havoc in the world, some groups of people will resort to alternative medicine to try to cure themselves, causing distraction of the masses from the actual spread of the disease.

News

During the course of the game, the News Headlines will change in their content to that of the Standard Game, much of it implying that various conspiracy theories and pseudoscience have become more widely accepted by society and governments, including open denial of Climate Change.

• Cleaner air declared "surplus to requirements"
• Rising sea levels "not a concern" in Washington
• Groundhog chosen to head environment agency
• "The time to act is now", says 1927 climate change report
• Psychological study into science denial declared "Fake News"
• "Trust me, I'm not a doctor," says politician
• Majority believe Ozone layer was a Sonic level

Gallery

These are some art concepts during the development of this scenario.

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Achievements

	Achievement Name:		Complete Science Denial
	Achievement Description:		Score three biohazards in the Science Denial scenario
	Value:		Difficulty:	Any