As someone who
has lived with science for a very long time (I am from a science high school
and am currently taking up my bachelor’s degree in Biology), I understand that
sometimes it can be misunderstood. There’s a lot of pseudoscience in the world
which tries to trick people into making “informed decisions” when it’s really
just a marketing ploy. For example, some items are marketed as “chemical free”
which is impossible, because everything is made up of chemicals. More than
that, perpetuating the “chemical-free” lie makes people assume that all
chemicals are bad and all natural ingredients are good which is totally not the
case. This is why I believe in science communication, because it helps people
clear up misinformation and utilize science to better their everyday lives.
I realize that
science can seem harsh and maybe even pointless to some people. Others might
not understand why they need at least a little science in their lives, which
makes me pretty sad. I believe that science, including technology and
mathematics, is like juice concentrate: a little can go a long way.
Knowing basic
algebra can tell you if you got the right amount of change, knowing the
chemistry of cooking can help you prepare a better meal, and knowing how your
gadgets work will help you care for them better. Science is really just
knowledge of how the universe works, and knowing how the universe works will
help you live in it a little better. Now what about science communication? As I
said before, science can seem very inaccessible to people, which is why science
communication is important. It makes science more palatable for laymen, and/or
for people who don’t seem too interested. It either simplifies concepts to make
it less ‘scary’ or it presents concepts in a way that will amaze people,
thereby making it more available.
Watching the
forum on science communication was really eye opening, even though I was
focusing on the audience. STS classes are usually a mishmash of different
courses, some of them not from the sciences. Seeing the wonder in their faces
when the flame jet experiment was executed was reminded me that sometimes it’s
not the subject matter, it’s the presentation.
2013-14735
MTM Cadiz
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