There’s a few reasons why scientists may be discouraged from science communication. Here, I’m hoping to break down some of those barriers, and introduce channels and platforms where scientists can practise. First, here are some of the reasons stopping more scientists from practising science communication, as well as my rebuttals.
From an early visual representation of a hierarchically ordered universe in Robert Fludd’s ‘Great Chain of Being’ (1617), to a contemporary moving infographic of ocean currents from NASA, a free new exhibition in London shows how visualising data has changed the way we see, interpret and understand the world around us.
‘Beautiful Science’, which opens at the British Library today, is a fascinating journey from 17th century illustrated diagrams to interactive visualisations in science.
Exploring how advances in science alongside changes in technology have allowed us to visually interpret masses of information, the exhibition focuses on three areas; public health, weather and climate, and the tree of life.
Perpetual Ocean (c) NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio, 2011. The striking animation by NASA visualises the flow of ocean surface currents from June 2005 to December 2007.
