Popular science: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

This article is not about the magazine, Popular Science

Popular science is interpretation of science intended for a general audience, rather than for other scientists or students. Popular science is presented in many formats, including television documentaries and magazine articles. The quality of popular science varies widely. The best popular science is produced by people skilled in both science and communication, who approach the subject from a neutral point of view. Popular Science is also the name of an American monthly magazine on the topic.

Some popular science can be very misleading. Some is produced by people with limited understanding of the subject they are interpreting. Some is produced by people who are extremely biased. Unfortunately, it can be hard for the non-expert to identify misleading popular science. In the case of medical research, results are often presented in the press without adequate context. Popular science may also blur the boundaries between formal science and pseudoscience.

Popular science occasionally tends to focus on more sensational topics such as fad diets, chaos theory, time travel, and cloning.

Notable popularizers of science:

• Carl Sagan
• Stephen Jay Gould
• Oliver Sacks
• Richard Dawkins
• Isaac Asimov
• Brian Greene

Notable sources of popular science:

• New Scientist - magazine
• Scientific American - magazine
• Nova - television show
• - radio show
• How Stuff Works - website
• Exploratorium - museum
• Smithsonian - museum and magazine

Related article

• Science magazine