Huxley and the popularization of science

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Tibar la corda més del compte. Les notícies científiques s'han generalitzat, però el missatge s'ha trivialitzat

Mere Anarchy is the name of Woody Allen’s latest book in which the film director cultivates the genre of critical stories —farces perhaps?— about the world around us, as he did years ago in, for example, Without Feathers or in Getting even. One of the 18 stories in this book is dedicated to science and its popularization. It is entitled “Strung Out” in reference to the physics of strings. This title of the intelligent New York filmmaker serves as a metaphor to analyze whether journalism and, in general, the popularization of science “stretches the string too far” and tends to banalize knowledge. KEY WORDS: scientific journalism, popularization of science, science news, knowledge. PARAULES CLAU: periodisme científic; divulgació científica; notícies científiques; coneixement

Historicitat i heterodòxia. La divulgació científica de Louis Figuier (1819-1894)

The life and works of Louis Figuier (1819-1894) are still poorly known. Considered as a second-class author in the pantheon of the great names of modern science, Figuier's popularization books and articles rarely have raised further examination and can even enlighten present-day debates on the nature and aims of science popularization. Through the analysis of a selection of Figuier's texts, this paper brings to the fore unknown aspects of his science popularization. The article focuses on Figuier's extensive use of history of science in his numerous biographies of the great luminaries of science and technology. It also describes in detail Figuier's use of several 'heterodox', 'pseudoscientific' practices, which, paradoxically, soon became a powerful tool to spread the 'positive' science of his time. the interest of historians of science neither literary scholars. In the last decades of the nineteenth century, Figuier became a deeply committed, strongly influential science populariser across Europe. Figuier's 'style' deserve

Science,technology and society

We shall discuss some aspects of science and technology, their increasing role in the society, the fast advances in modern science, the apparent decrease of interest of the young generation in basic sciences, the importance of proper science popularization for better public education and awareness in scientific fields.Comment: Lecture at the 7th School on Non-Accelerator Astroparticle Physics, Trieste,Italy,200

Scientists who engage with society perform better academically

Most scientific institutions acknowledge the importance of opening the so-called 'ivory tower' of academic research through popularization, industrial collaboration or teaching. However, little is known about the actual openness of scientific institutions and how their proclaimed priorities translate into concrete measures. This paper gives an idea of some actual practices by studying three key points: the proportion of researchers who are active in wider dissemination, the academic productivity of these scientists, and the institutional recognition of their wider dissemination activities in terms of their careers. We analyze extensive data about the academic production, career recognition and teaching or public/industrial outreach of several thousand of scientists, from many disciplines, from France's Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. We find that, contrary to what is often suggested, scientists active in wider dissemination are also more active academically. However, their dissemination activities have almost no impact (positive or negative) on their careers

Local Authorities and Communicators Engaged in Science: PLACES Impact Assessment Case Study of Prague

Regional aspects of science communication represent a potential asset and as such are quite suitable topic for further examination with respect to future social and economic development in Prague based on the city's main development strategies. Closer analysis of SCIP aspects at re- gional level can present a suitable complement for development of suitable measures and projects of the regional innovation and education policies. This study focuses on research questions related to regional dimension of science communication, its impacts and suitable tools. Document analysis and questionnaire distributed among selected experts were chosen as tools for elaboration of the study. Results suggest that regional dimension of science communication policy and initiatives is a relevant one in case of Prague. However, the attention given to this topic by national and regional authorities is unsatisfactory resulting in lack of co-ordination of activities of the respective stakeholders. Impacts of SCIP, as far as causality can be identified, lie in encouraging young people in their interest in science, increasing awareness of general public in science-related issues and explaining role of science in society and problems that science is facing. To maximise effects of science communication there is a space for national and regional authorities to play an integrating role. Given the concentration of SCIP actors, the City of Prague could aspire to develop its science communication policy in order to promote itself as a Central European centre of science

Vaunting the independent amateur: Scientific American and the representation of lay scientists

This paper traces how media representations encouraged enthusiasts, youth and skilled volunteers to participate actively in science and technology during the twentieth century. It assesses how distinctive discourses about scientific amateurs positioned them with respect to professionals in shifting political and cultural environments. In particular, the account assesses the seminal role of a periodical, Scientific American magazine, in shaping and championing an enduring vision of autonomous scientific enthusiasms. Between the 1920s and 1970s, editors Albert G. Ingalls and Clair L. Stong shepherded generations of adult ‘amateur scientists’. Their columns and books popularized a vision of independent nonprofessional research that celebrated the frugal ingenuity and skills of inveterate tinkerers. Some of these attributes have found more recent expression in present-day ‘maker culture’. The topic consequently is relevant to the historiography of scientific practice, science popularization and science education. Its focus on independent nonprofessionals highlights political dimensions of agency and autonomy that have often been implicit for such historical (and contemporary) actors. The paper argues that the Scientific American template of adult scientific amateurism contrasted with other representations: those promoted by earlier periodicals and by a science education organization, Science Service, and by the national demands for recruiting scientific labour during and after the Second World War. The evidence indicates that advocates of the alternative models had distinctive goals and adapted their narrative tactics to reach their intended audiences, which typically were conceived as young persons requiring instruction or mentoring. By contrast, the monthly Scientific American columns established a long-lived and stable image of the independent lay scientist

Mass Media As an Information Channel and Public Arena

Professor Peters argues that several functions of mass media compete and that attempts to improve risk coverage must avoid optimizing one at the expense of others