Delivering science to the public

I wholeheartedly agree with many of the points raised by David Kramer in his July 2012 article. As a science writer and communicator for more than 20 years, I have seen the enormous, not yet fully realized potential of scientists to convey the excitement and relevance of their research to the general public. Inside Science is a news service that is supported by the American Institute of Physics, numerous AIP member societies, and other STEM organizations. As its director, I help deliver news articles and video segments on scientists and their research.

Last year we introduced Inside Science Minds, an ongoing series of articles in which those in the science community speak directly to general audiences, whether to offer scientific perspectives on societal issues or to share new ideas. A year ago, I saw Nikodem Poplawski, a young theoretical physicist at Indiana University, present his explorations of the notion that our universe exists inside a black hole. I believed the idea would capture the imaginations of the general public while presenting some basic concepts in general relativity and quantum mechanics, so I invited Niko to write an article for us. After many months of working together to express his work in nonscientists’ language, we posted the article (http://insidescience.org/?q=content/every-black-hole-contains-new-universe/566 ), which was immediately picked up online by Fox News and has become one of the most popular pieces on our website.

I welcome new article proposals for Inside Science Minds, and encourage Physics Today readers, their friends, and family members to check out the Inside Science website (http://www.insidescience.org ).