The document discusses new techniques for science communication that make scientific discoveries and concepts more accessible and engaging for the public. It notes that while science itself is precise, communication about science can take many forms from stories and videos to journal articles. It also emphasizes the important responsibility of scientists and communicators to relay information faithfully and avoid misinformation. New techniques like animation and storytelling aim to communicate science meaningfully without distancing audiences. The document also highlights improved science communication across Asia through organizations that consider cultural differences to ensure relevance.

1. New Techniques in
Science Communication
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2. Science is precise – it doesn’t leave room for alternative facts. Science
communication, however, can be many things. It can come in the form of a story,
exhibition, journalistic piece, podcast, journal entry, or an entertaining video.
Without this one crucial thing, even the most groundbreaking scientific discoveries
won’t see the light of day or leave the musty corners of academia and laboratories.
The world’s greatest scientists, such as Albert Einstein and Carl Sagan,
havestaunchly expressed the importance of communicating science to the public. A
great responsibility rests on the shoulders of scientists and science communicators,
as sending the wrong message can directly impact people’s lives. Luckily, people
continue to take on the challenges of communicating the many aspects ofscience in
a more relevant and more interesting way.
Staying Faithful to the Evidence
In an era of misinformation and revisionism, a great responsibility falls on the
shoulders of science communicators. The farther the truth strays from personal,
political, or business interests, the harder it will be to gain public trust.
In addition to making science easy and engaging enough for the public to digest,
science communication also plays a big role in policy and decision making. A failure
to get the message to resonate can lead to poor regulations and an irreversible
spread of misinformation (i.e. climate change denialism).

3. New Techniques in Science Communication
From sophisticated animation to good old storytelling, the emergence of new
techniques has characterized science communication in recent years. However
innovative, these techniques still manage to stay faithful to the evidence without
putting audiences at a distance. Sara ElShafie, a PhD student in UC Berkeley, has
recently collaborated with Pixar and with museums to adapt storytelling techniques
to communicate science in a more meaningful and engaging way.
Better Science Communication in Asia
Big strides have also been made in communicating science across Asia. Led by
reputable academic and industry institutions, including the National Research
Foundation of Singapore, Indian Science Communication Society, and the Japanese
Association of Science Communication, among others. These groups place great
emphasis on contributing local insights and considering cultural differences to
ensure that the message is relevant to its target audience without straying from the
evidence.

4. Making science accessible to the public has become a more challenging and exciting
arena for those who wish to enter it. It is critical, now more than ever, given the
dual nature of information – potentially powerful in the right hands, but equally
destructive in the wrong hands. Likewise, when done effectively, it can change the
course of history, the way Carl Sagan inspired people to look up to the sky and the
way Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring ignited the environmental movement as we
know it today.
Sources:
http://www.translationsingapore.com/
http://www.asianscientist.com/2014/07/topnews/asian-scientist-intelligence-
launch-2014-2/
https://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2014/oct/10/science-communicators-
quantum-physics-granny
http://www.cdnsciencepub.com/blog/what-is-this-science-communication-you-
speak-of.aspx
http://www.pnas.org/content/110/Supplement_3/14033.full