In the digital era, science is no longer limited within Laboratory and Academic Journal; it must look for new channels to connect with the public life. There are three key elements: choice of medium, power of storytelling, and persoanal motivation, which collectively outline how science communication engages in social lives and shapes relationships supporting the operation of society.
Blog: a new stage for scientists
Science blogs are bridges between scentists and the public: their motivations often lie between altruism and self-interest. Altruism stems from a close connection between scientific and societal issues, for example, climate change, vaccine debates. Scientific voices are required by the public to clarify misconceptions about those problems. Self-interest is in relation to how blogging can elevate personal brands, exhibit expertise, build readership and even advance careers.
Christie Wilcox notes that blogging is a win-win tool. It helps society understand science while enabling scientists to practice their writing skills and broaden their influence. In her opinion, “Blog or be blogged”, if you don’t speak up, others will interpret your research for you. Why not take control of the narrative but being passive!
Story: make science more human
After knowing the importance of “why write a blog”, Ben Lillie’s idea may help to establish a blog. He distinguishes between two narrative approaches: science first and story first.
- Science first: stories serve as introductions or metaphors to explain scientific concepts.
- Story first: the story itself is central, with science merely providing context. Readers may not absorb all the knowledge, but their engagement with the characters sparks interest in scientific issues.
Lillie offers practial writing advice: start in the middle, avoid spoilers and showcase emotion. More importantly, he reminds us that science communication is not just about convey facts, but also creates emotional resonance. It is this resonance that transforms science from cold experimental data into an experience deeply connected to human life.
Media: the medium is the message
Marshall Mcluhan’s famous dictum, “The medium is the message”, broaden our perspective to the macro level. He argued that the medium itself, rather than the content it carries, is the true force shaping society and human perception. For example, technologies like the electric light, railroads, alter society’s rhythm, scale and patterns of interaction.
In the science communication, McLuhan warns us that the choice of medium matters even more than the content itself. Blogs, podcasts, videos and social media convey information; but further, they subtly reshape the relationship between science and the public. Media are never neutral containers; rather, they actively shapes cognition.
Summary
Science communication is not merely about spreading knowledge, but rather than an interwoven process involving motivation, narrative and medium. Science blogs not only carry scientific content; but also, as a medium, transform the relationship between science and the public. When they are filled with personal stories and sentiments, they become powerful and generate new social and cultural meanings.
Souces:
Science Blogging: The Essential Guide
- Chapter 1 (Wilcox, 2016)
- Chapter 11 (Lillie, 2016)
Science blogging : the essential guide – Leiden University Libraries Catalogue4
Marshall McLuhan’s “The Medium is the Message”
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