Science is one thread of culture – and entertainment, including graphic books, can reflect that.
'The Dialogues,' by Clifford V. Johnson (MIT Press 2017)
Clifford Johnson, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
You might not think much about science topics as part of your everyday life. But science – like art, music, religion – is part of our culture, and scientists can help it reclaim its rightful place.
Understanding how and why things happen can help people make sense of the world.
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In the age of ‘fake news’ it’s more important than ever to make sure that what’s being published is the truth – especially when it comes to reporting research and science.
President Trump’s first year was a rough one for scientists and others who value truth and expertise. Many rallied to the cause, while others used research to make the case for the value of science.
Introducing rural and indigenous communities to science, through experiments and communication, is vital.
Felipe Figueira
Andre Ramos, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) and Marina Empinotti, University of Beira Interior
The combination of knowledge and communication, along with a few other fundamental conditions such as liberty and respect , leads to social, cultural and technological development.
X-rays are like light rays, but they can pass through more stuff.
Marcella Cheng/The Conversation
X-rays are like light rays, but they can pass through more stuff. Some of the x-ray’s energy is blocked by bone, which is why you can see bones so clearly on x-ray scans.
Science communication: it’s not rocket science.
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Intentional actions by usually solitary octopuses improve a sandy site, allowing group living in ‘Octlantis’. But the buzz around the site grew quickly, creating some interesting interpretations.
Is it his physics, his hair or something else? Brian Cox pulls record audiences around the world.
ntnu-trondheim/flickr
Packed venues, rock star status. What makes some scientists so damned marketable?
James Gillray’s ‘Scientific Researches! - New Discoveries in Pneumaticks! - or - an Experimental Lecture on the Powers of Air’ from 1802.
The Royal Institution of Great Britain
Scientists who engage with the public may have goals about influencing policy or behavior. But they also need to think about the short-term objectives that will help get them there.
He’s back! Any mention of the killer robots debate brings images of the Terminator film. But science fiction can be a useful tool to get people interested in the real issues in science.
More than 50% of Australians think drugs should be cleared for use before they’ve completed clinical trials.
Neale Cousland/shutterstock
Most Australians value science. But we do have some hesitations about the pace of scientific advances, and we’re not sure if scientists are prestigious or not.
Why is it so hard to reach consensus about how to slow climate change? Multiple time lags get in the way: some make it hard to convey the risk, while others prolong the search for solutions.
Eleven years after its release, An Inconvenient Truth, the iconic climate documentary, has spawned a sequel. But did the original do more harm than good by polarizing Americans on climate change?
ZZZZZZ…even the smartest scientists struggle to follow very dense science writing.
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Science papers are supposed to be communication tools - and yet hardly anyone can understand them, even other scientists.
Former US Vice President and Chair of the Climate Reality Project Al Gore and Victoria’s climate and energy minister Lily D'Ambrosio (right) ride on a tram after speaking at the climate conference in Melbourne.
AAP/Tracey Nearmy
Taking inspiration from the spread of world religions, Quentin Atkinson and Shaun Hendy argue scientists need to do more to signal commitment to ideas they want to spread.