What? Science communication!
Do you know what science communication is? Most of us will say of course yes, that’s communicating the science by any Scientists, Journalists, researchers, etc. Well, I don’t blame them as I had the same misconceptions too. Science communication is the process of communicating technical information about science related topics into understandable messages and stories for public’s understanding. It is most effective if its a two-way process i.e. from scientists to public and vice-versa. India ranks one of the highest in terms of life-style diseases like cardiovascular, diabetes, hypertension etc.
According to 2011 census of India, the literacy rate in India is 74.04% and it may have increased after a decade. But when it comes to apply our basic knowledge of science we fail here miserably. Some may ask lifestyle disease and science how are they even related? Well, the most basic example of it is our first biology lesson that our body is made up of 60–70% water and having a balanced diet. But do we have this habit of drinking water after waking up or can we live without junk food? The answer will be No. For instance, we crave for coffee or tea just after waking up, in the name of morning tea or coffee. But do we have a routine of drinking water right after waking up, probably not. This is where we welcome the lifestyle disease in our lives. How? It is because our body is already dehydrated for 10–12 hours after dinner. In the morning, when we wake up we hit on beverages which in turn dehydrates our body even more. Most of the scientists agree to this fact that lifestyle diseases have emerged from our faulty lifestyle.
Science communication is this simple! I know it’s so basic and some may not even characterize it as science communication but this is where people have misconceptions about it. Science communication is not only the complicated things that the scientists, researchers, or professors have to say, it’s also about the basic knowledge we have on science and spreading this knowledge to all in a comprehensible way.
