The public's understanding of science is fundamental in a world full of uncertainty, negationism and socio-environmental problems. It's not just about understanding concepts, but also the Nature of Science (NoS). Science communication in the media plays a crucial role in this process, but there are few studies on scientific texts that investigate their potential in relation to the NoS and whether there are differences between texts by journalists and scientists. Here, I analyze which aspects of the NoS appear in texts from a widely-circulated Brazilian newspaper and conclude that there are no differences between the two types of text.
Keywords: Science and media, Science journalism, Science and society.

UNESCO Global Geoparks are geographical areas with sites and landscapes of international geological importance, conceived for the conservation and sustainable use of geological heritage and as settings for sharing Earth Sciences’s knowledge. We chose four geosites of the Comarca Minera geopark in Hidalgo, Mexico, that are managed by the communities, to observe Social Appropriation of Knowledge strategies. We describe different practices and the participation of different actors in them. The more involved the communities and their knowledge are, the greater the social appropriation of knowledge and the possibilities of offering specialized tourism such as geotourism, with a territorial, comprehensive approach. It is observed that current tourism in the geopark is largely focused on the search for extreme and ephemeral experiences, without a deeper connection to the environment. Through co-created strategies for social appropriation of knowledge, this model can be reversed towards a geotourism vocation, more sustainable and consistent with the geopark dessignation.arque.

This study presented how the exhibitions at Viera y Clavijo Botanical Garden (JBCVC), Gran Canaria, Spain, contribute to the scientific literacy of its visitors from the perspective Non-Formal Education. The presence of scientific literacy indicators at the JBCVC is evaluated using the tool developed by Marandino et al. [2018], which provides four indicators (scientific, social interface, institutional, and interaction). The results reveal that the exhibitions focus on attributes associated with the scientific indicator, with a limited presence of institutional, social, and aesthetic/affective indicators, and some recommendations are made for the environmental education process at the JBCVC.

The “Trupe Naturalista” is a group of Brazilian science communicators that operates on the social network Twitter, creating content and interacting with the public. The present study aimed to investigate whether interaction with these communicators can alter the perception of followers about arthropods. To this end, followers answered an online questionnaire informing about their profile, interests, motivations, interactions, use of the platform and perceptions about these stigmatized animals. The results indicate that the contact with the science communicators was able to positively change the behavior of the respondents regarding arthropods, reducing their aversion, and increasing their interest in nature.

In recent years, numerous initiatives have emerged in Argentina where both scientists and artists combine science and theatre, either as a form of art and/or public science communication. In order to understand the current state of this field, a research was conducted involving an exhaustive search, a survey, and interviews. The goal was to identify what actions are being carried out in our country and who, how, and why these practices, which could be termed scientific theatre, are being developed, as well as to explore their histories, interests, and perceptions regarding this practice

The article analyzes the series of reports Behind the Scenes of Science, produced by Jornal UFG in 2020, as an action to combat disinformation, spurred by attacks on a researcher during the covid-19 health emergency. In the content analysis of the series’ articles, it is possible to understand some of the values highlighted in the reports as a strategy of credibility of science and the university, as well as of the journalism. In this case, journalism serves as a filter of reality and strategy for defending institutions and science.

 

During the covid-19 pandemic in Brazil, it was observed that a great number of false messages circulated on social media. Most of these messages featured scientific and technological elements. This article analyzes how scientific and technological aspects were used in false messages about the pandemic. From the Latam Chequea Coronavírus databank, we have compiled 152 false messages that featured the inappropriate use of scientific knowledge. The results showed that false messages appropriated science and technology to usurp their social value in search of credibility. To achieve this, the fake news used verbal-visual resources, authorities and mixed true and false information

This qualitative, documentary research analyzed the profile of recipients of Productivity in Research (PQ) grants in Science Communication (DC) from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) in Brazil. Data were collected from calls between 2013 and 2021 and curricula from the Lattes platform. The results indicated that women are the majority among PQ grant holders in DC. Most of them hold PQ-E grants, are concentrated in the Southeast, and have diverse educational backgrounds. The field of DC does not follow the trend of the PQ system, revealing a gender parity situation with a slight female advantage. However, this does not imply a favorable position for female researchers due to prevailing gender prejudices.

We question, from the perspective of public communication, how the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Brazil) responded to COVID-19. The question, asked to communication professionals at the institution two years after the start of the pandemic, sought to identify challenges and elements of institutional learning and understand the possibilities and limits of communication in the context of disinfodemic and political crisis. Qualitative research of an exploratory nature carried out through semi-structured interviews and, alternatively, the use of documentary sources indicates that Fiocruz recognizes public communication (science and health) as a process under construction and a strategic and structuring factor for the full implementation of its Communication Policy.

This article investigates the role of media behavior in the adherence of Brazilians to the three main non-pharmacological measures (NPIs) endorsed by global health organizations against COVID-19: the use of face masks, social distancing, and frequent handwashing. Following the outbreak of a pandemic when vaccines are not yet available, the adoption of these behaviors may be the only effective measure against the threats of a new disease. Grounded in social cognitive theory, we examine the behavioral determinants of adherence to these measures in Brazil, a middle-income country marked by significant economic and informational inequalities. Brazil, one of the countries most severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, was led by former President Jair Bolsonaro, who showed little regard for the use of face masks and encouraged large gatherings at political events. Our findings, based on an online survey administered to a sample of 2,771 individuals, indicate that media-related determinants such as knowledge about COVID-19, the use of social and traditional media, and belief in a conspiracy theory regarding the origin of the coronavirus play a significant role in explaining adherence to preventive measures. In contrast, other determinants such as political preferences, sociodemographic characteristics, and environmental factors play a secondary role.