Science communication

How science can be communicated in new and innovative ways to diverse publics

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4th European Conference for Science Journalists
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This article is sponsored by
4th European Conference for Science Journalists
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Science communication

Combating fake news in science

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“Dandelion root benefits can boost your immune system and cure cancer,” “Lead developer of HPV vaccines comes clean, warns parents & young girls it’s all a giant deadly scam,” "Asteroid Warning: Govt Preps Underground Bases" — These are just three of a multitude of fake science headlines circulating on social media recently. They may all be debunked, but will they have a lasting effect on society? The impacts of fake news and the post-truth era are the subject of discussions at the 4th European Conference for Science Journalists (ECSJ2017) on 26–30 June in Copenhagen, Denmark. Read more [...]

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4th European Conference for Science Journalists
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Science communication

Citizen journalism: A phenomenon that is here to stay

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As the catastrophic fire blazed in Grenfell Tower, London in June 2017, everyone knew they would find photos or videos online, posted by citizens, on the scene before the professional journalists. Citizen journalists are now a common presence in the event of disasters, natural and man-made, but they represent a remarkably new phenomenon. This and other new media topics are the subject of discussions in Copenhagen at the 4th European Conference for Science Journalists. Read more [...]

This article is sponsored by
4th European Conference for Science Journalists
Find out how to become a sponsor

This article is sponsored by
4th European Conference for Science Journalists
Find out how to become a sponsor

Science communication

Unbiased reporting can help call time on pseudoscience

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In July 2013, a 21-year-old man died of leukaemia in the Spanish city of Valencia. Mario chose to dismiss his doctor’s advice, turned to a so-called expert in 'natural and orthomolecular medicine' and abandoned chemotherapy, choosing instead to fight his illness with alternative medicine. Mario was not, as some might conclude, an uneducated young man who did not know better. He was studying to become a physicist, but even this background did not prevent his believing a charlatan's claims. Tragedies like this beg the question: What can journalism do to better encourage trust in scientific evidence? The 4th European Conference for Science Journalists held on 26 to 30 June 2017 aimed to answer such questions in a series of sessions that examine the roles of policymakers, citizens, scientists, and science journalists in making scientific facts great again. Read more [...]

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4th European Conference for Science Journalists
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Science communication

Holding on to lies! Unlocking the cognitive mechanism behind misinformation

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Five years ago, the World Economic Forum declared that the spread of misinformation through social media was one of the greatest global risks to our future and prosperity. At that time, the future scale of the threat was still unclear, even to media experts. However, for anybody with the slightest doubt about how rapidly social networks are changing news consumption and its effects, last year was eye-opening and overwhelming. Misinformation and fake news have influenced every major voting process and strengthened science-denial movements — consider how ubiquitous anti-vaccine and climate change scepticism propaganda is. But what are the consequences and the remedies to this? On the 29th of June, this and other questions are the subject of discussion in the 'Science journalism in a post-truth world’ session of the 4th European Conference for Science Journalists (ECSJ2017). Read more [...]
Science communication

Top 10 YouTube science channels to enlighten and entertain

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Thanks to YouTube it’s never been easier – or more entertaining – to learn about science. The EuroScientist team has browsed some of YouTube’s most popular and emerging science channels to bring you a list of our their ten favourites. This list is by no means exhaustive, so feel free to share your favourites in the comment box below! Read more [...]