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COMMUNITY:
Peer-reviewed article

Communicating science: lessons from a Twitterstorm

September 16, 2019 | Media and Technology

In early August 2019, the U.S.A. saw 2 significant mass shootings in just 48 hours. On Twitter, Neil deGrasse Tyson responded with a tweet to his millions of followers. He outlined the number of deaths in 48 hours from other causes, and seemed to disparage the human tendency to respond emotionally “more to spectacle than to data”. The tweet resulted in an uproar. This “twitterstorm” might provide important lessons for practicing science communicators. The first lesson outlined in this letter is about the use of analogy in science communication, and the second is about how emotion is addressed in science communication.

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  • Hannah Little
    Author
    UWE Bristol
  • Citation

    ISSN : 1824-2049
    DOI : 10.22323/2.18040101
    Publication Name: Journal of Science Communication
    Volume: 18
    Number: 4
    Resource Type: Research Products
    Discipline: Materials science | Social science and psychology
    Audience: General Public | Museum/ISE Professionals | Scientists
    Environment Type: Media and Technology | Websites, Mobile Apps, and Online Media

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