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• Date of publication Nov 21, 2017 Category: Article

  Capturing the many faces of an exploded star: communicating complex and evolving astronomical data

  by Lisa Smith , Kimberly Arcand , Randall Smith , Jay Bookbinder , Jeffrey Smith

  This study explored how different presentations of an object in deep space affect understanding, engagement, and aesthetic appreciation. A total of n = 2,502 respondents to an online survey were randomly assigned to one of 11 versions of Cassiopeia A, comprising 6 images and 5 videos ranging from 3s to approximately 1min. Participants responded to intial items regarding what the image looked like, the aesthetic appeal of the image, perceptions of understanding, and how much the participant wanted to learn more. After the image was identified, participants indicated the extent to which the label increased understanding and how well the image represented the object. A final item asked for questions about the image for an atronomer. Results suggest that alternative types of images can and should be used, provided they are accompanied by explanations. Qualitative data indicated that explanations should include information about colors used, size, scale, and location of the object. The results are discussed in terms of science communication to the public in the face of increasing use of technology.

  Volume 16 • Issue 05 • 2017

• Date of publication Nov 15, 2017 Category: Book Review

  A carefully crafted work of rhetorical art

  by Erik Stengler

  Shroeder Sorensen analyses in depth the close relationship of the TV-series Cosmos [1980] with the popular culture, in its broadest sense, at the time of its release. The novel application of Fantasy-Theme analysis to the rhetorical vision of the series reveals how it is the product of a very careful and successful design. The book also compares the original series with its 2014 reboot Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey [2014].

  Volume 16 • Issue 05 • 2017

• Date of publication Oct 24, 2017 Category: Conference Review

  RedPop 2017, a meeting point of cultures and innovations

  by Carla Almeida

  Marked by the diversity of initiatives linking science and art and by new presentation formats, the 15th Congress of the Network for Popularisation of Science and Technology in Latin America and the Caribbean (RedPOP) saw heated debates on science, culture, politics and society. Between 21st and 25th August, it brought together in Buenos Aires (Argentina) about 400 participants from 14 countries in order to share new visions, initiatives and research work in science communication. During the event, which included a vast cultural programme, a series of challenges were raised for the future development of the field.

  Volume 16 • Issue 05 • 2017

• Date of publication Oct 12, 2017 Category: Article

  The influence of temperature on #ClimateChange and #GlobalWarming discourses on Twitter

  by Sara K. Yeo , Zachary Handlos , Alexandra Karambelas , Leona Yi-Fan Su , Kathleen M. Rose , Dominique Brossard , Kyle Griffin

  Research suggests non-experts associate different content with the terms “global warming” and “climate change.” We test this claim with Twitter content using supervised learning software to categorize tweets by topic and explore differences between content using “global warming” and “climate change” between 1 January 2012 and 31 March 2014. Twitter data were combined with temperature records to observe the extent to which temperature was associated with Twitter discussions. We then used two case studies to examine the relationship between extreme temperature events and Twitter content. Our findings underscore the importance of considering climate change communication on social media.

  Volume 16 • Issue 05 • 2017

• Date of publication Sep 20, 2017 Category: Commentary

  SiP 2017 panel: speculations and concerns on robots' status in society

  by Erik Stengler , Jimena Escudero Pérez

  Studying fictional depictions of robots and artificial intelligence in cinematographic science fiction narratives acquires a new level of relevance as legislators' approaches to the subject seem to be strongly influenced by popular culture. This panel of Science in Public 2017 presented various on-going investigations of this kind, showing that the critical mass in this area of research is growing

  Volume 16 • Issue 04 • 2017

• Date of publication Sep 20, 2017 Category: Commentary

  The changing face of expertise and the need for knowledge transfer

  by Aleksandra Berditchevskaia , Cindy Regalado , Stephan Van Duin

  New public participatory modes of practice are emerging in fields as diverse as politics, healthcare and research. In part, these DIY and citizen-led initiatives have gained momentum from the optimism of new technologies, which allow unprecedented access to previously inaccessible knowledge and tools. Equally, they are the result of a growing frustration with power hierarchies and systems that reinforce elites. Experts are increasingly regarded with suspicion as trust in public institutions is eroded and individuals begin to give more weight to personal accounts, and information shared within networks of peers. In this climate there is a critical need for improved knowledge transfer practices based on improved empathy, understanding and communication of shared values and motivations. In this session we questioned the role of expertise in a changing landscape of knowledge production and practice. Using the lens of science & technology communication and hands-on DIY practices, we explored how to move towards a more inclusive model of knowledge transfer, where different types of expertise are acknowledged and valued.

  Volume 16 • Issue 04 • 2017

• Date of publication Sep 20, 2017 Category: Commentary

  Does being human influence science and technology?

  by Laura Fogg-Rogers

  This article addresses two major questions about women and science. Firstly, the commentary looks at the ways science and technology are discussed and represented all around us in society. Secondly, I ask whether this matters. The defining issue is therefore whether or not being human affects the type of science and technology that is conducted and valued within our society. By addressing these questions in science communication, we can add much to the debate about gender diversity and affirmative action being portrayed in our media and culture.

  Volume 16 • Issue 04 • 2017

• Date of publication Sep 20, 2017 Category: Article

  Deflection, disassociation, & acknowledgement: a content analysis of the 2011–2014 media framing of hydraulic fracturing and Oklahoma earthquakes

  by Alicia Mason , Catherine Hooey , James Triplett , Joey Pogue

  In June of 2014, geologists reported that, for the first time, more earthquakes greater than magnitude 3.0 occurred in Oklahoma than in California [Terry-Cobo, 2014]. In Oklahoma, the frequency of earthquakes that are strong enough to be felt has increased 44 times in recent years and this has been correlated to a dramatic increase in high-volume, horizontal hydraulic fracturing (HVHHF) operations [Hume, 2014]. The aims of this study are: (1) to determine how hydraulic fracturing, commonly called fracking, and Oklahoma earthquakes are framed by print-based media at the local, national, and international levels; (2) to understand how the association between these factors has evolved over time; and (3) to further analyze the differences between experts on the subjects of causality and threat characterization (e.g., severity). A total of 169 print news reports were included for analysis: 48 local/Oklahoma reports (28% of total sample), 72 national reports (42% of total sample) and 49 international news reports (30% of total sample). The findings reveal significant differences in the frame techniques, sources of information, and the foci of subject matter between three different media scales in print based media. Results, discussion and implications are provided.

  Volume 16 • Issue 04 • 2017

• Date of publication Sep 20, 2017 Category: Commentary

  Science fiction and science futures: considering the role of fictions in public engagement and science communication work

  by Michael Reinsborough

  The imagination of possible scientific futures has a colourful history of interaction with scientific research agendas and public expectations. The 2017 annual UK Science in Public conference included a panel discussing this. Emphasizing fiction as a method for engaging with and mapping the influence of possible futures, this panel discussed the role of science fiction historically, the role of science fiction in public attitudes to artificial intelligence, and its potential as a method for engagement between scientific researchers and publics. Science communication for creating mutually responsive dialogue between research communities and publics about setting scientific research agendas should consider the role of fictions in understanding how futures are imagined by all parties.

  Volume 16 • Issue 04 • 2017

• Date of publication Sep 20, 2017 Category: Commentary

  From ‘post truth’ to e-persons, contemporary issues in science communication

  by Emma Weitkamp

  The Science in Public Conference, held this year at the University of Sheffield, generated animated discussion of a wide range of topics. Six commentaries cover conference themes around engagement with science and technology and how science and technology are shaping what it means to be human. The commentaries range from discussions of our relationship with expertise and how science communication can better act as a knowledge broker in a time of ‘alternative facts’ to exploration of fictional narratives and how they might be used to open up dialogue about science and technology.

  Science communication: process, power and politics

  by Peter Broks

  The changing face of expertise and the need for knowledge transfer

  by Aleksandra Berditchevskaia, Cindy Regalado and Stephan Van Duin

  Does being human influence science and technology?

  by Laura Fogg-Rogers

  Robots, AI, and the question of ‘e-persons’ ― a panel at the 2017 Science in Public conference, 10–12 July 2017

  by Michael Szollosy

  SiP 2017 panel: speculations and concerns on robots' status in society

  by Erik Stengler and Jimena Escudero Pérez

  Science fiction and science futures: considering the role of fictions in public engagement and science communication work

  by Michael Reinsborough

  Volume 16 • Issue 04 • 2017