The Impact of Social Media on Science Communication

Social media are now a major part of our daily life. In this research, I will explore how social media has changed the way of science communication. In China, a unique form is called “Public WeChat”, an online publication tool that allows rapid disseminate information, articles, and even live broadcast. In 2015, Profs. Yi Rao of Peking Univ., Yu Xie of Princeton Univ. and I launched “The Intellectuals” a Public WeChat dedicated to science communication. We publish several articles/day, reporting scientific discoveries, discussing science policies, and live-broadcasting Nobel Prize announcements and important lectures. We now have millions subscribers. It has become the most influential science media in China. I will address how science social media such as “The Intellectuals” change the way scientific reporting, government policies, and public understanding of science and technologies. In particular, what has “The Intellectuals” done to make it a major science social media in China? I will draw from my own experiences, and examine the impact of social media on science per se and on society. Further, I will compare “The Intellectuals” with other science social media around the world, and try to uncover their common characteristics as well as their unique features.