Morgan Spurlock is planning a project investigating the American government's relationship with the scientific and academic communities.

The Super Size Me director has optioned Chris Mooney's best-selling book The Republican War on Science, in which he discusses the right's approaches to such issues as stem cell research, climate change and missile defence.

Zap2it.com quotes the filmmaker as saying: "There was a time when science was respected by politicians and government officials and when the information obtained through unbiased scientific exploration was used for the better of society.

"Today, all of that is being ignored, manipulated and/or used incorrectly to further political agendas. Now more than ever, we need the real answers to the big questions."