Seeing is believing
Another cancellation of the “Long Night of the Sciences” – How can science communication also succeed digitally?
Planning was at full steam, when it was suddenly cancelled in late April: The “Long Night of the Sciences” will, again, not take place this year as usual. We asked the organisers how digital science communication can succeed and how scientific thinking can prevent people from getting caught up in half-truths, ideologies, and “lateral thinking”.
For many, this was a fixture that people had been looking forward to weeks in advance: The “Long Night of the Sciences”, or Long Night for short. It attracts 25,000 visitors every year, many of them to Adlershof. It has a magnetic effect on people wanting to experience science directly and intuitively and to take a look behind the scenes of research laboratories. Unfortunately, the Long Night as a hands-on event did not happen last year. COVID-19 happened. Instead, it took place in form of a monthly science podcast that was aired for one year in cooperation with Inforadio. Hopes were high for a bit more normalcy in 2021.
The Long Night is currently chaired by Ulrich Panne, who also chairs IGAFA e.V. and is the president of the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM). One year has passed and uncertainty abounds still. What can be done? What can’t be done? What does it even mean to plan when there’s a pandemic? One thing is certain now: The 2021 Long Night will also be cancelled. “Under the given conditions, it would be irresponsible to have such a large-scale event,” says Panne. More than 50 institutions had confirmed they would take part, he says. “That is a enormous amount in such uncertain times. It shows that there is great determination.” It’s also about keeping up the connection to people who are interested in science – especially during a time when fake news is sprawling, and conspiracy peddlers and coronavirus deniers are gaining ground. It is becoming increasingly clear, especially now, how important science communication is – and how great the contribution made by the Long Night.
In addition to face-to-face events, digital and hybrid events had also been planned by the various facilities, say Nicola Rother, head of the Long Night business office. “Virtual 360 degree tours of BESSY II, the electron storage ring, are not one-off events but can be relived anytime.”
Hybrid formats could also become more popular after the pandemic. Is this the future? Do events have to change and become more digital? “I wouldn’t say ‘have to’,” says Rother dismissively, “we are focusing on a face-to-face event because we believe that the Long Night represents hands-on science and we want to interact with people.” However, the many digital meetings and events during the pandemic have also shown the potential of such formats: “We can include people who could otherwise not be there, because they’re in another city, another country, or, frankly, in quarantine.” The digital transformation of events, or last least parts of them, is likely to continue according to Rother: “This is good and important. However, it shouldn’t result in people not coming together and withdrawing to the private sphere.”
She is sure that the Long Night is a face-to-face event that cannot be made fully digital, at least in the long run. Coming together, meeting people, immersing oneself in strange, new worlds, the smell of laboratories and lecture halls, attending experiments and presentations directly are all things that happen face-to-face, says Rother. “This is also what we remember when we look back years later. This cannot be replaced by a digital experience.”
Last but not least, the Long Night is the best format for research facilities to communicate their findings to a large audience, which can be complex at times. “We want science to be close to people and not become inexplicable. Science adds value to our lives,” says Ulrich Panne. Researchers offer answers, educate, and are irreplaceable, especially during a pandemic: “We find this is enormously important since fake news and populist oversimplification are the order of the day.” Panne emphasises the special significance of scientists and researchers today: “With their work, they contribute to our vast base of knowledge. Knowledge that reflects the world as it is and is based on evidence.”
It is possible to listen in on the smartest night of the year on “radioeins” on 5 June 2021 at 7pm during a special programme, featuring many researchers from Berlin’s scientific institutions. “Next year, we will be able to provide all this to our visitors live,” says Nicola Rother with anticipation.
By Chris Löwer for Adlershof Journal