In 1988, James Hansen, the Director of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies at NASA, testified before the U.S. Congress that the earth was warming due to greenhouse gases and warned of major consequences within the next few decades.

Hansen’s testimony was met with debate, and many government officials, scientists, and fossil fuel organisations called the warning alarmist and launched a smear campaign to discredit the science.

For the next few decades, scientists fought an uphill battle to convince the world to take action on this pressing issue. Unfortunately, this movement relied too heavily on doomsday communication tactics and technically challenging reports that failed to convey the science to the general public.

This early struggle to make climate information resonate with the masses underscores the need for effective science communication.

Providing good communication is not just about transmitting and providing information; it's about ensuring that science serves its fundamental purpose—to benefit and inform society. When we find ways to effectively break down barriers between the audience and the information, we can foster public understanding and more informed decision-making, promoting a more scientifically literate society. This endeavour empowers individuals, shapes policies, and guides the collective future toward a more informed and engaged world.

The Importance of Science Communication

Understanding the importance of effective communication in science, Dr. Jane Goodall, the renowned primatologist, once said, 'Only if we understand, can we care. Only if we care will we help. Only if we help, we shall be saved.'

In recent years, effective science communications have become increasingly important due to the growing amount of disinformation in our society. These issues have been at the forefront of debates over the coronavirus pandemic, human sexuality, medicine, and climate change, making it harder to discern the truth and stirring distrust in scientific experts and institutions.  

One of the best ways to combat this disinformation is by increasing scientific literacy through good science communication. As communicators, we can work to make information more approachable, understandable, and compelling to broader audiences, creating a greater ability to understand and discern which information is rooted in fact, not fiction.

Keys to Effective Science Communication

One of the biggest downfalls in science communications is the tendency to rely on technical jargon, complex subjects, and exclusive messaging to convey information to broad audiences.

For decades, research has only been communicated through niche publications in the scientific community. This means science has been gatekept and siphoned to reach only other members of the science community, excluding much of the public.

With the onset of new forms of communication, there is the opportunity to bridge the gap, and researchers are able to break down the barriers between them and the public.

This allows science to spark discussion with more underrepresented audiences, making the information more accessible. These discussions help create more approachable messaging, a deeper understanding of impacts, and more effective wording because they foster conversation with the audience.

We also need to make the information fun and exciting. Science has a major problem with being too serious and overtly paternalistic when conveying information. This pushes people away because it makes them feel excluded, lacking interest, or, frankly, looked down upon. The more often we can make scientific information compelling, engaging, and downright fun, the more people will want to learn and get involved.

These simple tactics can create a more powerful relationship with the audience and foster a healthier level of respect between the communicator and the public.

Good Methods of Science Communication

As society and technology have evolved, so have the methods of science communication. From traditional written reports to modern digital platforms, the ways we share scientific knowledge have expanded dramatically.

Nowadays, there are many unique ways to communicate science to the masses. In recent decades, film, photography, and audio storytelling have drastically changed the ways we convey information to the world.

One of the most popular ways scientists share their work is through filmmaking and visual storytelling. Films can be powerful avenues for science education, allowing communicators to contextualise the work and build a connection with an interested audience. In addition, the exploding popularity of long and short-form videos has made visual mediums especially powerful in the modern era.

Another more recent form of science communication is podcasting, which has gained in popularity over the past decade. Podcasting and audio storytelling provide audiences with an innovative way to learn about science that allows them to connect with the information through a narrator or storyteller.

This human-to-human connection has been massively successful, and podcasting has been used to convey information on climate change, astronomy, artificial intelligence, and medicine. In fact, some of the most popular podcasts are based on science, including StarTalk with Neil Degrasse Tyson, ShortWave, The Lex Friedman Podcast, Ologies with Allie Ward, and many more.

In many ways, these platforms have helped scientists reach new demographics, share their work with new audiences, and build a personal connection that makes people more compelled to care.

The Social Media Paradox

In addition to audio and film, the onset of social media has completely changed the science communication landscape, creating various new ways to make information more accessible and understandable for international audiences.

Social media allows a more personal avenue of science communication, providing audiences with unique ways to receive information directly from researchers, educators, and science professionals. Platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok are the most popular for this form of communication and have been a major part of spreading scientific literacy in our society.

There is a downside to social media communications. On these platforms, there aren’t any ways to discern whether the information is credible and accurate, and it relies heavily on the person posting the content to verify the information. This disinformation can confuse the public, stoke distrust in scientific institutions, and create more debate over the accuracy of the information. In many cases, unverified platforms have been weaponised to spread false information and bias.

That’s why we need to recognise misinformation and actively work to counteract it. We must help the scientific community, content creators, and platforms collaborate to enhance the quality and credibility of the information they are providing, creating a more credible discussion that fosters scientific literacy.

How You Can Support Effective Science Communication

The simple truth is that if science isn’t communicated effectively, it lives in the dark. Our ability as communicators to actively engage audiences with science is critical to shedding light on the truth and enacting positive change for our planet and society.

Together, we promote effective communications by using these new and exciting ways to share verified information with broader audiences. In this way, we can build a bridge between the information and the public, creating a more scientifically literate society.

Because, to be a science communicator is no small responsibility. In the words of psychologist and writer Ann Roe, “Nothing in science has any value to society if it is not communicated.”

If you are looking for support regarding effective communication, reach out to us here.

‍