Trending topics such as global warming have a significant impact on science engagement and science communication institutions. On the one hand, these topics can generate interest in science and technology, and lead people to seek out information from trusted sources. On the other hand, they can also lead to the spread of misinformation and disinformation, and to increased polarization on scientific issues.
This session will discuss how trending topics such as global warming and its effect on science engagement and science communication institutions. It will explore the positive effects such as when the news is full of stories about climate change, people may be more likely to visit a science center or museum or read a book about climate science, and the negative effects such as inaccurate information about climate change on social media, or they may be exposed to misinformation from news sources that are not credible.