Jul 25

Jul 25 The World Needs Science Communicators Now More Than Ever

Written by: Ankita De, Gokul Bhaskaran and Nayera Nasser

Edited by Chaimae Benkerdagh, Hazvinei Mang'anda and Sarah Bukhari

In a world shaped by rapid innovation and urgent global challenges, the ability to share science clearly and meaningfully is no longer optional, it’s essential! Even the most groundbreaking discoveries can fade into obscurity without science communication to bring them to the public.

Understanding Science is No Longer Optional

Scientific ideas can be complicated, and communication of these ideas often becomes mired in discipline-specific jargon and terminology (Radford, 2011). Yet public understanding of science is crucial for informed decision making.

One of the most significant examples of the consequences of poor science communication is climate change. A combination of misinformation, complexity and inadequate public engagement has contributed to widespread mistrust and misunderstanding of scientists and their research (Somerville and Hassol, 2011). The issue of climate change also illustrates how public acceptance and understanding of science (or lack thereof) can influence governmental decision making with regard to regulation, science policy and funding.

The importance of communication that is accessible and easily understood by general audiences is not confined to controversial topics such as climate change. It is also critical for socially charged areas of neuroscience, such as the genetic basis for a particular behavior, the therapeutic potential of stem cell therapy for neurodegenerative diseases, or the use of animal models, just to name a few examples. Public understanding of these topics can also influence policy and funding decisions.

Furthermore, with continuing advances in individual genome sequencing and the advent of personalized medicine, more non-scientists will need to be comfortable parsing complex scientific information to make decisions that directly affect their own health (Brownell, Price, & Steinman, 2013).

Storytelling is the strongest scientific tool

One of the most powerful tools in communicating science effectively is storytelling. The transformational power of storytelling as a tool for science communication is often underestimated. Joubert et al. (2019) emphasize that storytelling helps correct public misunderstandings. When scientific information is delivered in conventional academic formats, such as data-heavy lectures or jargon-filled papers, scientific concepts can alienate non-experts. However, by incorporating facts into engaging stories, storytelling can humanize science and make abstract ideas concrete and memorable.

Take climate change as an example. A narrative about a coastal village battling rising sea levels humanizes the issue, whereas graphs alone may fail to convey atmospheric carbon dynamics. Emotional storylines, conflicts, and relatable characters can turn numbers into lived experiences that promote understanding and empathy. Myths such as, “humans use just 10% of the brain" can be disproved through storytelling; For example, picture a protagonist attempting to “unlock” their brain’s supposed unused 90%, only to discover through a neuroscientist that even simple tasks, like recalling a memory or catching a ball, light up all regions of their brain on a scan. The story could reveal how damage to any area (e.g., from a stroke) impairs function, proving that no part is dormant. This approach can amuse audiences by showing initial gullibility to myths, while subtly informing them that the brain is always all-in. (Morphy et al., 2021).

This narrative method is supported by cognitive science. By associating facts with feelings and sensory details, stories stimulate several parts of the brain, improving memory. They also minimize complexity without going overboard: Metaphors reduce complex processes to well-known frameworks (e.g., defining DNA as a "recipe book"). Moreover, using localized tales or analogies, storytelling adapts scientific findings to engage with a variety of audiences, bridging cultural boundaries (Oliver et al., 2023).

However, effective science storytelling must strike a balance between accessibility and accuracy. This is best demonstrated by science communication pioneers like David Attenborough and Carl Sagan, who infuse stories into their writing that pique interest with rigor and awe. Storytelling not only educates the audience but also gives them the ability to critically assess false information by changing science from just a dry lecture into a rather interesting discussion (Ettinger et al., 2021). In a time when scientific skepticism is pervasive, storytelling serves as a bridge that connects the lab to the living room. It fosters a society that is more fluent in the language of science.

The Future of Science Needs Science Communicators

Science communication empowers society to engage with research that directly affects their lives. Yet, studies show that a persistent gap remains between scientific communities and the public, leading to mistrust and misinformation (Scheufele, 2013; Nisbet & Scheufele, 2009).

Several factors contribute to its persistence, including the use of technical jargon, a lack of public engagement training for scientists, and the spread of misinformation through social media. But the holistic nature of platforms, like the iGEM Competition, are changing that narrative. By encouraging students to combine synthetic biology with storytelling, community engagement and ethical reflection, iGEM cultivates the idea that young scientists are not just innovators but that they can also be communicators and leaders. The iGEM competition has shown that when students are given ownership of science communication, they bring in fresh, culturally relevant perspectives to issues like biosecurity, sustainability, and global health (see examples of published articles from iGEM teams: https://community.igem.org/journals).

Through the iGEM Competition, science storytellers are transforming communication by using fresh, creative approaches. The iGEM SciComm Made Easy initiative, for example, empowers teams to communicate effectively through popular articles and podcasts (https://community.igem.org/projects/scicomm-made-easy). Through engaging content, the initiative opens a different approach to SciComm, offering practical tips and real-world experiences. These initiatives are not just for the future, they are shaping science now.

Whether through compelling stories, youth-led initiatives, or transparent dialogue, science communication is no longer optional; it’s essential. The world needs more science communicators, not someday, but now. To build a responsible scientific future, we need scientists who speak, listen and engage. Science, without being coupled with proper communication, can be invisible to the public.

REFERENCES

Radford, T. (2011). Of course scientists can communicate. Nature, 469(7331), 445–445. https://doi.org/10.1038/469445a
Richard C. J. Somerville, & Susan Joy Hassol. (2011). Communicating the science of climate change. Physics Today, 64(10), 48. https://doi.org/10.1063/pt.3.1296
Brownell, S. E., Price, J. V., & Steinman, L. (2013). Science Communication to the General Public: Why We Need to Teach Undergraduate and Graduate Students this Skill as Part of Their Formal Scientific Training. Journal of Undergraduate Neuroscience Education, 12(1), E6. Retrieved from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3852879/
Ettinger, J., E.L.Otto, F., & Schipper, E. L. F. (2021). Storytelling can be a powerful tool for science. Nature, 589(7842), 352. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-021-00107-x
Joubert, M., Davis, L., & Metcalfe, J. (2019). Storytelling: the soul of science communication. 18(05), 1–23.
Murphy, S., Melandri, E. & Bucci, W. The Effects of Story-Telling on Emotional Experience: An Experimental Paradigm. J Psycholinguist Res 50, 117–142 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10936-021-09765-4
Scheufele, D. A. (2013). Communicating science in social settings. PNAS, 110(Supplement 3), 14040–14047.
Nisbet, M. C., & Scheufele, D. A. (2009). What's next for science communication? Science, 325(5947), 1513–1514.
Oliver, C.A. (2023). The Social Brain and the Neuroscience of Storytelling. In: Rowland, S., Kuchel, L. (eds) Teaching Science Students to Communicate: A Practical Guide. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-91628-2_4