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An increasing number of government science organizations are inserting humour into their informational messages on social media. However, since individuals may expect government agencies to communicate in a more formal and traditional manner, does the use of humour influence perceptions of the organization? This study examines how humorous messages regarding three different wildlife science issues (climate change, human-wildlife interaction, and human-caused wildfires) influences perceived expertise, trustworthiness, and likability through parallel mediators, expectancy violation magnitude and the valence of that violation. Overall, results showed a significant, negative effect of humour on perceptions of the organization through the two mediators. However, these results varied slightly across issues. Government science organizations should be wary of making abrupt shifts in their tone on social media to avoid unpleasantly surprising their audiences in these spaces. Implications for future research regarding science humour and social media practice are discussed.

Science museums are undergoing a transition, expanding their role in science communication to engage with equity and inclusion actively. Although women and gender-diverse individuals constitute a significant proportion of museum audiences, they remain underrepresented in exhibitions and leadership roles. This study examines how science museums can address gender equity. Based on a survey of science museum professionals across Latin America and the Caribbean, we identified respondents reporting gender-focused transformative actions. We conducted a thematic analysis of gender-focused transformative actions. Five key elements were developed: female participation, identity negotiation, disruption of normative gender narratives, historical recovery, and activism. The initiatives demonstrate significant transformative potential but are constrained by persistent challenges. By examining these evolving practices in contexts shaped by both structural inequalities and historical struggles for rights, this study contributes to an understanding of how science museums can act as spaces for social transformation.

This theoretical article introduces academic saviourism as a concept that explains how inclusion efforts in science communication can at times unintentionally reproduce epistemic hierarchies, and end up being symbolic rather than transformative. Building on theories like Bourdieu's habitus, Archer et al.'s science capital, and Critical Race Studies' perspectives on the White Savior Industrial Complex, I draw out three interrelated manifestations of academic saviourism: (1) affective burdens on marginalised individuals, (2) the performative inclusion practices of science communication institutions, and (3) the underlying normative assumptions that shape how science communication actors understand marginalised communities' needs and participation.

Social media made a huge transition in science communication during the public health crises. Social media amplified the audience communication effect of popular science short videos and played a positive role in containing epidemics and stabilizing social sentiment. The purpose of this article is to investigate the effective communication and alignment mechanism of popular science short videos on social media. Applying grounded theory and combining case studies with interviews, this article investigates the factors that influence the effective communication of popular science short videos on social media platforms in China during public health crises. The research identifies audience demand, content quality, platform diversity, and media matrix integration as key factors driving effective communication during public health crises. This study attempts to thoroughly examine the communication process of popular science short videos and propose further suggestions for the future development of popular science media.

Science communication experiences major transitions: alongside science journalists, scientists, their institutions, and public relations departments increasingly select and communicate science information to publics, thereby stepping into gatekeeping roles. To better understand this “shared gatekeeping” and how different science communicators select topics, this article investigates relevance criteria that guide selection and communication decisions of science information. Drawing on 57 interviews with German-speaking science journalists, science public relations practitioners, and scientists, the study identifies and compares relevance criteria for each group based on the hierarchy of influences model. Findings reveal a wide range of relevance criteria as well as similarities and differences at individual, communication routines, organizational, and social institutional levels. Although all groups seem to be guided by similar, partly journalistic, relevance criteria (e.g., overlapping goals, topic characteristics), they operate within distinct professional contexts and thus weigh these criteria differently.

This study examines how information sources are indirectly related to support for quantum science. Results from a national survey of quantum science aware publics in the United States (n = 919) showed that TV news use was negatively associated with interest and knowledge and positively associated with benefit and risk perceptions. By contrast, print/online media use and social media use were positively associated with interest and knowledge. Social media use was also positively associated with risk perception. Notably, benefit perception had the strongest association with support for quantum science. These findings suggest complex relationships between media use and attitudes toward quantum science.

Awe-inspiring science events—from astronomical phenomena to scientific breakthroughs—are increasingly consumed through rich audio-visual formats that captivate global audiences. This study explores the psychological mechanisms through which the modality of science media events affects audience’s intention of science information-seeking. An online experiment (N = 356) reveals that experiencing a science event in a rich audio-visual format (vs. a lean textual-imagery format) evokes stronger awe which diminishes the sense of self. This awe-induced perception of small self, in turn, produces a paradoxical outcome: it simultaneously increases thought-provoking reflection, which boosts science information-seeking intention, while decreasing perceived self-efficacy, which suppresses the same intention. These opposing pathways cancel each other out, resulting in no net impact on science information-seeking intention. We discuss implications for science communicators seeking to leverage awe-inspiring media to foster public engagement with science.

Recent technological advancements have expanded our capacity to observe, decode, and modulate human brain activity. As these brain information (BI) technologies evolve, it becomes increasingly important to address relevant ethical, legal, and social issues and to communicate them effectively to the public. However, meaningful dialogue has been hindered by a limited understanding of how attitudes toward BI technologies differ between experts and the public. To address this gap, we examined the perspectives of both groups through surveys involving neuroscientists (N = 108) and non-expert citizens (N = 2000). Our findings indicate that, while both parties are concerned about data governance, non-expert citizens also expressed interest in threats to psychological continuity, whereas neuroscientists prioritize scientific content and the risks of stigmatization. These differences underscore the importance of framing discourse on BI applications to encompass both concerns raised by two prominent stakeholders, fostering constructive exchanges grounded in mutual understanding.

AI-based chatbots offer new opportunities for communicating science-based information, but often fall short of established standards. We conducted two pre-registered experiments examining user perceptions of an AI-based chatbot providing information on nanoparticles in sunscreen. Study one (N = 508) tested whether a disclaimer about the chatbot's uncertain training data affected perceived source trustworthiness and information credibility. The results showed no significant effect of the disclaimer; perceptions were primarily influenced by users' prior attitudes. Study two (N = 1059) tested the evaluation of information on nanoparticles in sunscreen in an experiment with a 2 (source: scientist vs. AI-based chatbot) ×2 (presentation: static vs. dynamic) between-subjects design. The study showed that the scientist was evaluated as more trustworthy and the provided information seen as more credible compared to the AI-based chatbot. The two studies highlight the relevance of perceived objectivity in science and health communication, whether executed by humans or machines.

News media play a crucial role in communicating climate change, yet journalistic norms and commercial considerations pose challenges. Still, coverage is increasingly prioritised, even though, according to international research, audience interest remains limited. Through the lens of news media logic, this article examines whether this trend is reflected in journalistic practice by illustrating how commercial and normative logic shapes Danish climate journalists' perceptions of climate change in a country with high climate concerns. The findings show that journalists face challenges related to commercial logic, particularly regarding the complexity of the issue and its perceived lack of newsworthiness. Indeed, climate change's low news value has led to its perception as `boring' in many newsrooms. Although normative logic, where public opinion formation takes precedence over commercial considerations, dominates among climate journalists and is gaining broader acceptance, it cannot be concluded that climate journalism is moving in a normative direction.