Science ‘storytelling’ urgently needed amid climate and biodiversity crisis - University of Exeter

Scientists should experiment with creative ways of communicating their work to inspire action to protect the natural world, researchers say.

Scientists primarily publish their work in academic journals, where writing is expected to be technical, objective and dispassionate – making it unlikely to appeal to, or be easily understood by non-experts.

The researchers – from the University of Exeter – argue for science “translated into stories”, with benefits both for science and wider society.

They suggest ways that scientists can tell powerful, passionate stories without compromising the objectivity of science.

“As environmental scientists ourselves, we feel frustration, a sense of loss, fear and sometimes helplessness at the lack of action to protect the planet,” said Professor Karen Anderson, from the Environment and Sustainability Institute on Exeter’s Penryn Campus in Cornwall. “But researchers are expected to be rational – not emotional – for fear of being seen as less objective and trustworthy. This prevents scientists from using their knowledge, passion and creative skills to fully communicate the work.”

Dr Katherine Crichton said the current method of academic writing emerged in the 17th and 18th centuries, with “gentleman scientists” writing for each other.

“That form of writing clearly has its place – but we’re not only debating technical aspects of science for academic interest,” Dr Crichton said. “Everybody should be interested in the climate and biodiversity crisis – we are talking about our home, and that subject is too important to be confined to academic journals.”

Professor Angela Gallego-Sala, an expert in peatlands, added: “We study these ecosystems because we love them – but we are expected to be removed from our subjects. In almost all communication of our work, the scientist remains ‘masked’ – a dispassionate source of data and analysis. In fact, as scientists we all have stories to tell about ourselves, the people we work with and the places we work in – and these stories could be vitally important.”