What's on your mind, scientist?
In its relatively brief life Twitter has already managed to build up a storied history and complicated reputation. Among the throngs of people worldwide who have flocked (pun intended) to Twitter to share their personal views, daily lives, innermost thoughts, rhetoric, and arguing points are the scientists.
This isn't surprising at all. Or at least it shouldn't be. Scientists are people too after all, and wherever you see a bunch of people there's bound to be a bunch of scientists mixed in with them. Why, you may have even shared a bus ride today with a scientist without even knowing it. Contrary to popular belief, they look and act like just about anybody else.
Some scientists get on Twitter to not share one bit of science at all. Instead they want to share their personal views or get into political debates. You know, just to act like a normal person. In this way Twitter provides almost a singular resource, where you get to see scientists as who they are - people. You can engage them in debate, you can get tired of their meal preferences, the whole lot.
This is a whole new kind of science communication: just communicating to the public as a scientist without the intent of explaining how the universe works. It's a window into the minds and daily lives of the very people who practice that discipline. Whether they intend it or not, scientists who share and communicate on social media are practicing a form of science communication, every single day.
This can be incredibly powerful, especially for kids and teenagers who are interested in a career in science. Often times scientists are seen as something unnatural or unreal, something not really found in the everyday world. Almost like scientists aren't just normal, genuine people. They're often viewed as something else, as scientists. But when a scientist opens up on social media, the game changes. You get to see them for who they really are, warts and all.
You get to see them as humans. And realize that they're not really different than any one of us.
Could anything be more powerful when it comes to demystifying science?
