Nature Photonics on raising science's public profile
Gaining the readers' interests should not come at the expense of veracity. Getting the facts correct when communicating science to the general public is essential, according to the latest editorial in Nature Photonics (2, 581; 2008). From the Editorial:
The challenge of delivering rigorous scientific information is greater in this new era of Internet and cable television, as readers are flooded with information. Hence catching the attention of the public is proving increasingly difficult. General media are often forced to look for angles of the story that favour popular interest. One of the ways of boosting public attention, is through making science personally relevant and accessible to non-traditional audiences. Nevertheless, a narrative that can cause a stir in the public's imagination can lead to oversimplification and misinterpretation of the scientific achievement.
Is it necessary to simplify science so that it is more appealing to the general public? Does winning the attention of the public guarantee a long-term relationship between science and society? What can be done to raise the profile of science at no expense of veracity? Certainly open and continuous discussions between both journalists and scientists would help to reach a balanced view on how to report scientific developments to the general public without losing scientific credibility.
