Elderly scientists become online influencers to make science more popular

In recent years, several elderly scientists in China have emerged as online influencers, spreading scientific knowledge through short videos and livestreaming sessions as part of their efforts to humorously explain highbrow scientific knowledge to audiences using the simplest language, attracting young people.

Liu Jiaqi, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and a researcher at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics under CAS, began popularizing science online in November 2021 when he was in his 80s. Liu has uploaded over 100 short videos, many of which are about volcanoes.

Liu Jiaqi, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, prepares to shoot a science popularization video. (Photo courtesy of the Institute of Geology and Geophysics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Liu believes that scientists have a sacred responsibility to popularize science and contribute to the spread of the subject.

For many years, he has been at the forefront of science popularization, spending his spare time every year giving lectures across the country to spread scientific knowledge.

"The essence of scientific research is innovation. Science popularization means explaining research findings to the public and helping improve public scientific literacy," Liu said.

As science popularization platforms have become more diverse in recent years, Liu has moved his efforts onto video platforms, a medium that is favored by young people.

"To popularize science, we need to enrich our content and diversify forms through ways that young people like," Liu said.

He noted that he will continue to share interesting volcanic knowledge and updates in earth science with more young net users and enable more people to develop a keen interest in science.

Wang Pinxian, a renowned marine geologist, a CAS academician and a professor at Tongji University, now boasts nearly 1.8 million followers after around two years of posting science-related content on a video-sharing platform. One of the 87-year-old professor's videos has garnered more than 4 million views.

Photo shows Wang Pinxian, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, during the recording of a science popularization video. (Photo/Liu Zhiwei)

Believing that science popularization for the general public is also beneficial to scientists, Wang Pinxian attributed the popularity of his science-related videos to storytelling, an effective way of communicating with young people.

A scientist should be able to explain scientific knowledge clearly and in simple terms, he said.

In addition to uploading short videos, Wang Pinxian has also actively attended science popularization lectures and forums, offered courses for general education at Tongji University, and published popular science books, which have become a hit among readers.

This May, a science popularization video uploaded by Wang Yusheng, former curator of the China Science and Technology Museum, attracted over 2 million views.

Photo shows Wang Yusheng, former curator of the China Science and Technology Museum, during the recording of a science popularization video. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

As China's first PhD in history of science, the 80-year-old shares his knowledge on ancient Chinese science and technology, as well as pioneering figures of modern science like Galileo and Newton, with young people on video platforms.

After resigning as curator of the museum, he became a member of a science popularization team consisting of elderly scientists established by the CAS, giving lectures to spread science knowledge among primary and middle schools across the country.

"The internet enables more extensive and in-depth dissemination of scientific knowledge, making it possible to popularize scientific knowledge among hundreds of millions of people," Wang Yusheng said, adding that being around teenagers makes him feel younger.

Jin Yong, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a professor at the Department of Chemical Engineering of Tsinghua University, uploaded dozens of short videos related to science on a short video platform not long ago.

Jin Yong, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, attends a science popularization program. (Photo/Xiang Zhihao)

Jin, who is also a chemical engineering expert, has worked together with several academicians and dozens of experts from universities and research institutions and spent six years producing a series of science popularization videos about chemistry and chemical engineering.

During the process of making videos, they revised the scripts until they were easy to understand and adopted diverse forms including animation to vividly explain abstract scientific concepts.

To Jin, science popularization is of great importance, as it helps discover talents earlier, facilitates the promotion of new technologies and the development of industries, and fights against pseudoscience. In addition, Jin believes that the seeds of science are spread in the hearts of students through science popularization.

With the rise of short videos, Jin has actively leveraged new platforms to popularize science. "We should use new technologies to disseminate knowledge," he said.