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In response to the post, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the University of Minnesota, Greg Laden, having done some research on the owl-faced monkey in the past, tweeted that he suspects that there are more unknown species of monkey in this little-studied region that are assumed to be the owl-faced monkey, just like Lesula was. Not only are we so lucky to have Twitter to facilitate this kind of exchange of information directly from scientist to science writer, but this highlights just how much the definition of 'science communication' has expanded in the recent past.
As a budding science writer, it's important for me to keep thinking about what constitutes science communication. This helps me to tailor my writing to my chosen audience. And as a science blogger as well, I have a wonderful freedom to write about whatever I choose-I don't have to be like science news sites, reliant on whatever research is published by the science journals in any particular week. All in all, getting familiar with different forms of science communication, particularly those within the social media sphere, is a great way to be inspired and to find new and original material to write about. It is also invaluable training for pitching stories to science publications as a freelancer, because editors love it if you can pull from a range of media to illustrate why your idea for a story has major potential.
Here are a few examples of non-traditional forms of science communication that are well worth keeping an eye on:
The Scientific Illustration Tumblr is a vast collection of scientific illustration pieces throughout history that is updated daily. The Tumblr has been quietly communicating science to thousands of young people, whether they're aware of it or not. And what a great place to be inspired if you're having trouble finding something to blog about!
A five-minute glance at the archive has introduced me to 20th century naturalist Gwendolen (Len) Howard, a little-known bird behaviour expert whose intimate and cohabitational relationship with wild birds prompted theories on bird individuality; a rare deformity that causes two-horned sheep to grow a third (see title image); and theharlequin beetle (Acrocinus longimanus), a species of longhorned beetle in which the male has ridiculously long forelegs that usually extend further than the length of its entire body.
The social news site Reddit has a 'science' subReddit, but there are many other places there where science is being communicated in a more subtle way: the WTF, Pics and Today I Learned (TIL) subReddits. [Editor's note: Content on Reddit is uncensored and some may not be suitable for younger readers.] Each of these regularly see the Reddit audience educate themselves about strange plant, insect and animal species and bizarre facts from history.
For example, did you know there's a plant commonly known as the 'touch-me-not' (Mimosa pudica) that immediately wilts in response to being touched? And did you know that there have been several cases throughout history of people dying from too much laughter? My favourite example is third century BC Greek philosopher, Chrysippus, who apparently gave his donkey wine and laughed himself to death as he watched it try to eat figs while drunk, and more recently, a man laughed himself to into fatal heart failure after 25 minutes of continuous laughter while watching The Goodies.
And of course, what about YouTube? Laugh all you want, but those ridiculous cat videos are arguably a form of science communication too, because millions of people are learning about some of the peculiar aspects of feline behaviour, such as a love of water and bizarre vocalisations as a fear response. Wade through the puerile hubbub, and those YouTube comments might just provide you with a hint of something worth learning and sharing. For example, a comment about the bull snake's unusual reluctance to bite beneath a video of a squirrel repeatedly attacking one is a fantastic starting point for you to go off and investigate this behaviour further. As a science communicator, I am inspired by such a popular response to animal behaviour, and have every opportunity to provide scientific research-backed explanations for what's going on.
It's so exciting to see how science communication is changing and how its audience is expanding thanks to social media. Science bloggers should pay attention and get involved in as best they can.
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Image credits: Top: dat' (from flickr); Bottom: Len Howard, Birds as Individuals (1952).
