Blogs a force for good?

Sunday's Post and Courier newspaper carried a wire story about a recent meeting in Chapel Hill, NC, of more than 150 scientists, journalists and teachers. They discussed the potential of blogging to reshape the world of science and bring it to the masses. While many people think of blogs solely in terms of a forum for personal opinions, the participants imagine a virtual world where scientists can collaborate and the public can share in the most recent discoveries. Acknowledging that blogs would never take the place of professional journals, they see a role for sharing ongoing research, new ideas, and making science more accessible to more people.
I must admit I hadn't thought about the implications of blogs for science, but it makes sense. I've been reading and thinking about blogs as a way to help give libraries a personable touch, so why not science? It's not a great leap, and yet the results could be a giant step. So, are blogs a democratic tool? You tell me.