In recent weeks, the science community has engaged in an enormous amount of discussion about science outreach. There are calls from many people, including me, for scientists to take an active role in efforts to share their work with the public. But this leaves many scientists feeling put upon – and understandably so. Scientists have
The warm weather of summer often draws us out of the house for a trip to the pool, a hike in the woods or (less fun) to mow the lawn. And all that time outdoors means we’re more aware of the ticks, mosquitoes, horse flies and other pests that are also more active in warm
I often find myself in conversations about how to communicate with the public (i.e., a non-expert audience) about science. One of the things I often bring up is the importance of explaining WHY a given piece of research was done. This not only helps people understand the work, it also helps them relate to it.
Talking with the public about science is important. Note that I said talking “with,” not talking “to” – and certainly not talking “at.” A conversation is necessary. Engagement is necessary. And, frankly, the science community, in general, is not doing a very good job in this area. We’ve known for years that the level of
When it comes to nanoscale devices, precision is important. By extension, anything that gives researchers more accurate measurements of the nanoscale materials that make up those devices is also important. That’s why it’s news when someone comes up with a new technique to fine-tune a way of determining Young’s modulus for nanowires. What is Young’s
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