Welcome to Living Lab Radio — a multimedia experiment in science storytelling.
"Science storytelling," you say, "what's that?"
It's using one of the oldest art forms around to humanize and demystify the endeavor known as science. Science and scientists are widely misunderstood (take as evidence the facts that most Americans can’t name a living scientist, and public debates on issues like evolution and climate change couldn’t be further from reflecting the scientific consensus on these issues), even spurned and vilified by certain segments of modern American society opposed to elitism and authority. In reality, science is nothing more and nothing less than a bunch of intelligent, curious, passionate, and sometimes quirky, individuals working to improve our collective understanding of how the world works. Along the way, they may travel to the darkest depths of the ocean, or simply walk out their back door; they may encounter new people, or whole new species; they may do everything right and yet gain nothing, or make a mistake that leads to a surprising new discovery.
These are the stories I hope to tell on Living Lab Radio.
“So why multimedia,” you ask.
Let’s start with the radio part of things. I’m a public radio baby through and through. My father managed public radio stations, and the radio was always on in our home or car. Susan Stamberg and Garrison Keillor were familiar names and voices. So it’s not surprising that, when I first looked for an outlet for my science writing, I turned to radio.
Over the past several years, I’ve developed a deeper appreciation for radio as a storytelling medium. Despite the inescapable fact that radio is a mass medium – broadcast across the airwaves, and capable of reaching millions of listeners simultaneously – it maintains a certain intimacy. Perhaps it’s the lack of images that allows the storyteller a modicum of anonymity and relieves listeners of the feeling that they’re acting like peeping Toms. Perhaps it’s simply the fact that people often listen to radio alone. Whatever the explanation, radio has an undeniable power to foster personal connections. And for that reason, it is an ideal medium for telling the human stories behind science headlines.
But radio also imposes certain constraints, namely no images and rather tight time constraints. A half an hour for a single interview on any topic, let alone science, is a luxury by broadcast standards. But it certainly doesn’t allow for dozens (or hundreds) of individuals from around the world to weigh in with their thoughts and questions. Instead, this is where the internet excels. It is a common misperception that blog comment sections are wastelands of trolls and sicophants. In fact, when the right community is found, comment sections can be wildly enriching – a place where a diverse group, whether experts or novices, can engage in freewheeling conversation that may take a simple blog post to new levels and guide an author in a totally new direction.
Sound like fun? Good. Here’s the plan.
Each Monday on WCAI's The Point, I'll talk with local or visiting scientists about how and why they do what they do, as well as a bit of what they've learned along the way. Audio of those conversations will be posted here for the enjoyment those unable to listen live (or rabid fans who just have to listen again and again), along with links to more information on the topics we cover (call it extra credit for the highly motivated). In addition, I’ll be blogging here throughout the week about what’s new and cool in the world of science. Your honest questions and respectful comments are always appreciated. So, welcome and please chime in!
