Should fans get a life? (or tell us a lot about public engagement?)

I have a guest post over at Matthew Nisbet’s new Age of Engagement. The blog had featured a post about modern fan culture and marketing. I couldn’t help but fold this into some thoughts on science communication. Can an awareness of tensions and connections between fan culture and entertainment marketing have applications for work aiming … Continue reading »

Mechanical metaphors in kid’s body books

This is the cover of Usborne’s classic kid’s book How Your Body Works. The book has been around in some form since 1975, so you might have seen it before. I’m interested in it for many reasons, but this blogpost is going to focus on the way it reflects an oft-used metaphor when it comes … Continue reading »

The Myth of Scientific Literacy

EDIT: I recorded an updated and audio version of this for the BBC (July 2012). Every now and again, the term “scientific literacy” gets wheeled out and I roll my eyes. This post is an attempt to explain why. The argument for greater scientific literacy is that to meaningfully participate, appreciate and even survive our … Continue reading »

Poo Books

I have a small collection of “poo books”. For research reasons, obviously. Fancy a tour? Of course you would. Let the poo commence. By “poo books” I mean books for children about either digestion processes of going to the toilet. Such books often use the word “poo”. It is largely their term, not mine. These … Continue reading »