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• Date of publication Jul 13, 2026 Category: Article

  Shared gatekeeping: comparing relevance criteria for selecting science information

  by Janise Brück

  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.

  Volume 25 • Issue 5 • 2026 • Transitions in Science Communication: Continuity and Change (PCST 2025)

• Date of publication Jul 13, 2026 Category: Article

  Effective communication of popular science short video in public health crisis: a grounded theory study on Chinese social media

  by Qingyang Chen

  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.

  Volume 25 • Issue 5 • 2026 • Transitions in Science Communication: Continuity and Change (PCST 2025)

• Date of publication Jul 06, 2026 Category: Article

  Mass media use and public attitudes toward quantum science

  by Ming Wang

  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.

  Volume 25 • Issue 4 • 2026

• Date of publication Jun 17, 2026 Category: Article

  The awe-some paradox: The contrary effects of science media events’ modality on audience’s intention of science information-seeking

  by Xi Cui

  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.

  Volume 25 • Issue 4 • 2026

• Date of publication Jun 03, 2026 Category: Article

  A comparative analysis of attitudes toward neuroscience and the application of information on the brain between the public and neuroscientists in Japan

  by Ryuma Shineha , Shu Ishida , HIDEAKI SHIROYAMA , Prof. Shinji Nishimoto , Prof. Takufumi Yanagisawa , Prof. Yuji Ikegaya

  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.

  Volume 25 • Issue 4 • 2026

• Date of publication May 25, 2026 Category: Article

  AI talking science: Experimental studies on the perception of AI-based chatbots as sources of science-based information

  by Esther Greussing , Friederike Hendriks , Dr Aike C. Horstmann , Yannic Meier , Bianca Nowak , Rainer Bromme

  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.

  Volume 25 • Issue 3 • 2026

• Date of publication May 20, 2026 Category: Article

  `Boring but important': the paradox in news coverage of climate change

  by Line Weldingh

  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.

  Volume 25 • Issue 3 • 2026

• Date of publication May 06, 2026 Category: Article

  What makes a good story? An empirical analysis of the factors that constitute “good” storytelling in the context of science communication

  by Peter Fischer , Barbara Thies

  This study investigates how specific narrative elements, termed narrative depth, influence perceived story quality, transportation, and topic interest in science communication. Using structural equation modelling and experimental group comparisons, we examined the relationships between vivid imagery, protagonist emotions and motivations, and narrative engagement. Results showed that while narrative depth did not significantly impact perceived story quality, transportation emerged as a key mediator between perceived quality and topic interest. Additionally, women and individuals with higher education reported greater transportation and topic interest. These findings provide important insights into factors that influence the potency of stories in the context of science communication.

  Volume 25 • Issue 3 • 2026

• Date of publication May 04, 2026 Category: Article

  News media framing of gene-edited crops: a study of sources and perspectives

  by Joseph Opoku Gakpo , Gifty Andoh-Arthur Yapp Mrs , Serene Cheng , Emma Davies , Dennis Baffour-Awuah , Miriam Aya Bosomtwe

  News media play a crucial role in communicating agricultural biotechnology tools such as genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and gene-edited crops to consumers, heavily influencing public perception of these technologies. This study assessed news media framing of gene editing in news reports in Ghana between 2021 and 2024. Underpinned by Media Framing Theory, we purposively selected and examined 56 reports from six online news platforms: three private and most read news portals and all three state-owned news media platforms. We found that while news reports were overwhelmingly pro-innovation centred—framing gene editing as a highly efficient scientific solution to agricultural challenges, consumer opinions and opposing viewpoints were notably absent. Academics, scientists and government officials advocating the technology were the more frequently quoted sources. We caution that the news media’s overreliance on elite sources for information, while excluding grassroot, critical and alternative perspectives, could trigger perceptions of elite manipulative intent (PEMI). This could potentially reinforce dominant narratives and may heighten public scepticism of the technology. We recommend increased attention and investment in science journalism, expanded resources for in-depth reporting, and redesigned training programs to equip journalists with both technical knowledge and critical skills. Notably, the majority of reports quoted local experts. This approach reinforces credibility of news coverage and is essential for building public confidence and trust in emerging technologies.

  Volume 25 • Issue 3 • 2026

• Date of publication Apr 15, 2026 Category: Article

  Marketing brain images and shaping ways of seeing: a visual analysis of a neuroscientific website

  by Jorge Alexander Daza Cardona , Denielle Elliott

  Brain images entice particular ways of looking that frame how brain health, human behavior, personhood, and cognition are understood. This article examines the brain images used to convey neuroscientific knowledge through digital media by examining the website of one of the world's leading tests for screening cognitive impairments. Based on Visual Discourse Analysis, this research found that the studied website prioritizes brain images to depict cognition by displaying MRI scans, drawings, and diverse futuristic and colorful digital representations. These images reinforce the idea that this cognitive test is a predominant instrument for understanding the brain and the cognitive domains. However, they also portray the brain as a simple and transparent entity while obscuring its sociomaterial dimensions. Finally, the article reflects on the rhetorical, epistemological and ontological consequences of intersecting science, marketing, and web design.

  Volume 25 • Issue 3 • 2026