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#sciencecommunication

3 posts3 participants0 posts today

Interested in pursuing #SciComm as a profession? Then this new Master's program in Germany might be for you: tuition-free (also for international students), entirely taught in English, covering everything from #ScienceCommunication to #ScienceJournalism, #SciArt, public engagement and more.

👉 hs-ansbach.de/en/master/scienc

Application period starts on May 1st.

Hochschule AnsbachScience Communication

You may have seen headlines today - such as in The New York Times - suggesting the possible detection of a biosignature on an exoplanet. It’s an exciting prospect, no doubt. But it’s also an extraordinary claim, and as the saying goes, "extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence" (Carl Sagan).

While the molecule in question is associated with biological processes, it’s important to note that non-biological (abiotic) pathways for its formation exist as well (see: Reed et al. 2024 ApJL; Sanz-Novo et al. 2025 ApJL). These results are interesting, but far from conclusive.

Scientists work within a robust framework to test such claims. This includes:

- Peer review and replication
- Community feedback and critique
- Cross-validation through multiple instruments and techniques
- Avoiding sensationalism in science communication
- Building consensus through sustained investigation

I am looking forward to hearing more from the exoplanet and astrobiology communities on these findings before drawing conclusions.

In the meantime, the ripple effect of bold headlines - like "Possible Signs of Extraterrestrial Life" - has already begun. A friend at the dentist this morning spotted a very misleading headline about this on Channel 9 News!

This is where science communication becomes critical: managing public interest and excitement without compromising scientific accuracy.

We should use moments like these to show the process - how scientific ideas are proposed, tested, debated, and refined - to broader audiences. Whether we’re talking about space, climate change, or pandemics, this transparency is essential to building trust in science.

Aliens make for a great headline, but the real story is in how we do the science.

From an early age, Keshav K Singh, PhD, has been inspired to make a difference in the world. Through his pioneering research on mitochondria, aging, and longevity, he is making important new discoveries and translating them into therapeutic advancements. Learn more about how he overcame early-career challenges, some of his most exciting successes, life outside the lab, and more in this new podcast episode!

peoplebehindthescience.com/dr-

Thank you to Innovative Research for providing support for this episode!

A metaphor can be a dangerous literary device when used in technical contexts: while they are very effective for introducing complex ideas, I have seen too many cases of serious misunderstandings which originate from the overinterpretation of metaphoric terms, and it's concerning to think how these can result in, for example, bad legislations.

Creationism is exhausting.

Anti-vaxxers are exhausting.

They just keep making the same stupid, flawed, or deceptive arguments over and over again despite these arguments being fully discredited.

And since every new generation joins the web and sees these old arguments *still floating around* you find yourself having the same conversations again and again and again...

It's just so fucking exhausting.

Replied in thread

@3TomatoesShort
There is a form of #MedicalJournalism / #ScienceCommunication that is predatory and abusive.

It takes a recent hopeful discovery that has not had even animal trials and writes about it as if it was likely to be a successful treatment / cure. We could ask others if this is being done by researchers wanting publicity, editors wanting clicks, journalists wanting exposure or some combination of these.

I have not read the linked article. It may not be one of these horrid articles.

"Communicating complex science in a way that the public can understand is crucial. A new study from the University of Adelaide reveals that in scientific societies, women are shouldering the bulk of this work—often voluntarily—due to societal expectations and a sense of duty."

"It seems that women are not only taking on this work at home but also in the workplace—often without recognition, compensation, or career benefits"

journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.11

phys.org/news/2025-04-gendered

🚀 Besuch aus Zürich am RHET AI Center!

Im März haben uns @mss7676 Schäfer, Daniela Mahl und Sophia Volk vom IKMZ von der UZH Zürich in Tübingen besucht. Im gemeinsamen Workshop haben wir intensiv über #Wisskomm und #KünstlicheIntelligenz diskutiert – von kritischer Reflexion über #AILiteracy bis hin zu Machtstrukturen. Gerne wieder!

📢 Den Nachbericht findet ihr auf unserer Website: rhet.ai/2025/04/02/nachbericht

rhet.aiNachbericht: Workshop mit Mike Schäfer in Tübingen - RHET AI - Zentrum für rhetorische Wissenschaftskommunikationsforschung