• 

• 

• 

• 

The internet has transformed the field of public engagement with science in the last two decades, but there are still barriers which make it hard for publics to find good scientific information, or to engage with researchers.

For anyone with an interest in science who isn’t already affiliated with a university or with research in some way, the institutional structures that science exists within can be opaque. The relationships between funding bodies, universities and publishers are complex, and each of those groups has different hierarchical structures. This complexity can make finding the source of new scientific developments difficult for anyone who is not embedded in the scientific community.

Certain aspects of how science is conducted, such as animal testing, or research areas, such as that into nuclear energy or fracking, can be deliberately hidden from publics, especially when ethical and reputational concerns come to the fore.

Even public events or public-facing websites run by universities can be cloaked in academic jargon, making them difficult to navigate and understand. These factors combine to make it difficult for non-scientists to know where to go to engage with information about science, and place a wall between science and publics.

This year marks the 30 year fall of the Berlin Wall. When the world is becoming increasingly obsessed with building them, let’s break down the walls in science!