This week, we are highlighting a 2021 post by former Science Borealis author Alice Fleerackers. Written at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, this fascinating read explores how and why we choose which sources of information we trust – and which we don’t. By Alice Fleerackers, Science in Society editor Source: Why do we (dis)trust? […]
Alice Fleerackers
What we talk about when we talk about science
Alice Fleerackers, Science in Society editor When you think about the word “science,” what comes to mind? A body of knowledge? A method for gathering evidence? Or something else entirely? As a science communication researcher, I talk, read, and write about the value of sharing science almost every day. But even though science is always […]
Why do we (dis)trust? A look at the science of credibility
Alice Fleerackers, Science in Society editor It’s March 9, 2021, exactly one year after the first COVID-19-related death was reported in my home province of British Columbia. I wake up to see Canadian Doctors Speak Out trending on Twitter. Curious, I click through. There, I uncover heated streams of tweets, some calling out misinformation, others […]
A beginner’s guide to multilingual science communication
Alice Fleerackers, Science in Society editor English is the language of science, and, too often, science communication. We publish our results in English, host our conferences in English, and promote, share, and tweet about our research in English. This reliance on a single language cuts out wide swaths of the population, including critical demographics who could […]
Uncertainty in science communication: Include it or lose it?
Alice Fleerackers, Science in Society editor How long will physical distancing measures last? Should we all be wearing masks? When will there be a vaccine? These are just some of the questions that have been circulating online since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a deadly new virus threatens to turn our world upside […]