Good science, bad communication

Ignorance and misunderstanding are rife in how the media reports on scientific matters. Fiona Fox's book addresses this fissure and how to bridge the divide

Beyond the Hype: Inside Science’s Biggest Media Scandals from Climategate to Covid

Author: Fiona Fox

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Pages: 310

Price:  Rs 399

Public policy in democracies is informed and driven by a combination of expert opinion, the inclinations of politicians (who may not know much about the issues) and by public opinion, since that may translate into votes. Public opinion, in turn, is shaped by media reportage and social media content.

When the issue is scientific, there’s a big problem: The media has little understanding of science, and social media visibility is driven by controversy and sensational misinformation, rather