Filter by keyword: Public understanding of science and technology

Publications including this keyword are listed below.

148 publications found

Feb 11, 2026 Article

Engaging science: audience perceptions of informal science communication on Arabic YouTube channels

This study investigates the emotional and cognitive responses of Arabic-speaking audiences to informal science communication on YouTube. Focusing on three prominent Arabic YouTube channels that provide science content, @Da7ee7, @NidhalG, and @Espitalia, the study analyzes their communication styles to explore how stylistic differences shape audience engagement and perception. The study classifies the channels into three distinct communicative styles; humorous, academic, and conversational to examine variation in audience responses. Employing computational content analysis, the study applies LDA topic modeling and sentiment analysis to examine emotional and cognitive engagement in user comments. Results show that humorous content is associated with stronger positive emotions and cognitive activation, whereas academic and conversational styles evoke more mixed reactions. Topics like space science and artificial intelligence elicit complex emotions such as confusion and admiration. Addressing a key gap in Arabic-language science communication, the study reveals how style and topic shape public engagement in culturally specific digital spaces.

Volume 25 • Issue 2 • 2026 • Science communication in Unexpected Places (Unexpected places)

Feb 11, 2026 Practice Insight

From the laboratory to the kitchen table? An insight into theory-based game development practices for science communication

by Andreas Siess, Oliver Ruf and Aleksandra Vujadinovic

This practice report aims to outline the idea of science communication as a multidimensional practice that extends beyond the transmission of scientific facts to include the tacit, cultural, and experiential dimensions of science—with a focus on ‘the university’ as an embodiment of the culture of science. Drawing on the idea of ‘kitchen table science communication’, we present a board game designed to foster critical engagement with the implicit norms and structures of academic life among students, their families, and broader publics. Emphasizing science as a complex, adaptive, and culturally situated endeavor, the game serves both as an educational tool and as a medium for participatory meaning-making. Through iterative development and ethnographic testing across diverse academic and informal settings, we explore how playful, narrative-driven formats can open epistemic spaces and promote a more intuitive, affective, and accessible understanding of science. Our findings suggest that games—by embracing abstraction, indeterminacy, and co-creation—offer unique affordances for cultivating science literacy as lived experience rather than codified knowledge.

Volume 25 • Issue 2 • 2026 • Science communication in Unexpected Places (Unexpected places)

Feb 09, 2026 Article

A feeling for the facts: intuitive epistemic identity predicts a non-consensus interpretation of a misleading clean energy meme

by April A. Eichmeier PhD

The purpose of this study is to show how intuitive epistemic beliefs and intuitive epistemic social identity contribute to misperceptions about science. Using a misleading clean energy meme for context, online survey results (U.S. only, N = 192) show that intuitive epistemic beliefs are negatively associated with interpreting the meme in a way that aligns with scientific consensus. This study also shows that social identity contributes to the misinterpretation. Results affirm the importance of science communication that resonates with people who trust their intuition.

Feb 02, 2026 Article

Evidence in the service of dissent: strategic communication of science by German corona-protest movements

by Aidar Zinnatullin, Lukas Fock and Berend Barkela

This study investigates how Germany’s anti-lockdown and anti-vaccine protest movement, led mainly by the Querdenken network, allied with conspiracist and far-right groups, utilized scientific authority while opposing COVID-19 policy. We analyse posts published in 161 public Telegram channels using a computational pipeline that combines named-entity recognition, structural topic modeling, a BERT sentiment classifier, and an open-source large language model, Mixtral. We report that mentions of scientific information surged during periods of heightened policy uncertainty (e.g., national lockdowns and the vaccine-mandate debate), indicating tactical appeals to epistemic authority. References to science were initially scarce rather than hostile, but evolved into a selective, strategic endorsement: protest communities increasingly cherry-picked scientific claims to delegitimize containment measures (foremost, vaccination) while sidelining evidence contradicting their narrative. The findings show that, even among actors who reject official institutions, appeals to scientific language are strategically deployed as a discursive resource.

Jan 28, 2026 Practice Insight

Translating research into play: design insights for evidence-based science games in museum settings

by Lisa Bailey, Daniel Lawrance, Allan James, Sarah Azad, Kristin Alford and Brooke Ferguson

Digital games in museums face the challenge of translating complex scientific concepts into engaging experiences that facilitate both individual learning and peer discussion. This practice insight examines Symbiosville, a touchscreen learning game designed using an event $\rightarrow$ choice $\rightarrow$ consequence pedagogical model to increase visitor understanding of the human microbiome's role in health. Through visitor observations and survey data, this case study demonstrates how evidence-based game mechanics can effectively communicate microbiome science, with players successfully understanding relationships between personal choices and microbiome health. However, the study revealed limitations in encouraging peer-to-peer learning in museum environments, where individual screen-based interactions can inhibit social engagement despite networked game features. The analysis identifies key design considerations for science communication practitioners developing digital learning games for informal settings, including the tension between personalised experiences and collaborative learning.

Nov 19, 2025 Article

Public communication of science by Argentinean researchers: changes and continuities in a digital world

by Luciano Guillermo Levin Dr. and Pablo Kreimer

Starting from the premise that public science communication practices have changed in recent years, this paper asks where these changes are heading and what factors can explain them. We conducted a survey among researchers at CONICET[CONICET (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas) is the National Council of Science and Technology.] in Argentina, asking them about these changing practices. Considering the major technological changes that have taken place in recent years, we find that science popularisation activities have intensified, but with significant differences in the means used to communicate informed by the career stage of the researcher. We also consider the different motivations of scientists to engage in science communication activities.

Volume 24 • Issue 07 • 2025

Nov 10, 2025 Editorial

Editorial for the special issue on emotions in science communication

by Luisa Massarani, Neta Shaby and Daniel Silva Luna

While substantial research has focused on emotions within classroom activities such as class attendance, studying, and test-taking, less attention has been paid to emotional experience in informal science settings such as media, museums, and public science events. Despite their significant role, emotions are under-theorised and under-researched in science communication. However, there is a growing interest among researchers and practitioners in understanding their role in the public communication of science and leveraging these insights for more effective science communication. This context lead us to propose and organise this Special Issue on Emotions in Science Communication, comprising six manuscripts as detailed in this editorial.

Volume 24 • Issue 06 • 2025 • Emotions and Science Communication (Emotions and Science Communication)

Jul 21, 2025 Article

Comparing the efficacy of narrative and didactic inoculation in combating climate change misinformation: impact on misbeliefs and intention to share misinformation

by Bingbing Zhang and Michael Schmierbach

Previous research has suggested that incorporating emotional language and exemplars within inoculation messages could enhance their effectiveness in inducing resistance to climate change misinformation. We conducted a between-subject experiment with four conditions (negative narrative inoculation, positive narrative inoculation, didactic inoculation, and misinformation only condition) to test the effectiveness of inoculation. We found that didactic inoculation increased perceived threat significantly more than both types of narrative inoculations. However, there were no significant differences across these three types of inoculation messages in conferring resistance to misinformation regarding counterarguing against misinformation, belief in misinformation, perceived credibility of misinformation, or intention to share misinformation.

Volume 24 • Issue 04 • 2025

Jul 02, 2025 Article

The differential effects of metaphor on comprehensibility and comprehension of environmental concepts

by W. Gudrun Reijnierse, Britta Brugman and Ellen Droog

Metaphors are prevalent in environmental science communication, because they describe complex topics in more familiar terms. Yet, little research has investigated whether metaphors contribute to comprehension in such communication. This experiment (N=510) disentangles the effects of different metaphor types on comprehension-related outcomes for three environmental concepts (greenhouse effect, carbon footprint, greenwashing). Results showed small but statistically significant effects of some metaphors on perceived text comprehensibility and perceived comprehension, but no effects on actual comprehension. No mediation effects were attested. Science communication could thus benefit from metaphor, but communicators should be careful not to overdo it, nor to overestimate its effectiveness.

Volume 24 • Issue 04 • 2025

Jun 23, 2025 Book Review

Book Review: Science and the Public

by Laida Arbizu Aguirre

Science and the Public by Angela Potochnik provides a thoughtful examination of the evolving relationship between science and society. By focusing on the ethical obligations of science, the author challenges conventional views by depicting science as a socially constructed entity with responsibilities to the public. The text explores topics such as public trust, the importance of inclusive research approaches, and the need for participatory scientific initiatives. Combining philosophical, ethical, and science communication viewpoints, the work advocates for institutional reforms aimed at making science more beneficial to diverse communities and better equipped to address pressing societal issues.

Volume 24 • Issue 03 • 2025