Free Astronomy Magazine March-April 2020

19 OUR EXPERIENCES nomy T he digital knowledge society in which we live, the so-called “Society 5.0,” requires reliable, real-time information to move through all of the multiple communi- cation channels we enjoy. The scien- tific fields are, sometimes by their very nature, the ones which lag be- hind in many respects in terms of this rapid communication, mainly due to three factors: confusion from untested or unverified information, a lack of technical-scientific training among non-specialized journalists, and the inability of some scientists to communicate. For many years, there have been courses and study modules focused on and specialized in science communication within both univer- sity and postgraduate scientific or- ganizations. Some great discoverers have likely gone unknown through- out history precisely because of the lack of communication of their dis- coveries, with credit instead going to other scientists who communicated their new findings effectively and ad- equately. Reaching the unskilled pub- lic is not easy. The communicators, in addition to needing a solid and spe- cialized scientific training, must also be capable communicators to arouse the interest of the people to whom an article, an informal speech, or a conference is directed. The communi- cator must be very flexible to adapt to the audience and situation at all times and know how to connect with an audience that is sometimes more varied in its combined level of under- standing than the one expected. Em- pathy is essential.