“Wissenschaft fürs Wohnzimmer” – 2 years of weekly interactive, scientific livestreams on YouTube
Science communication is becoming increasingly important to connect academia and society and to counteract misinformation. Online video platforms, such as YouTube, allow easily accessible communication of scientific knowledge to audiences made up of the general public. In April 2020, a diverse group of researchers from the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, launched the YouTube channel called “Wissenschaft fürs Wohnzimmer” (translated to “Living Room Science”) to stream scientific talks about climate change and biodiversity every Thursday evening, with the aim to reach a broad range of members of the public with a general interest in science and climate. Here we report on the numbers and diversity of content, viewers, and presenters from 2 years and 100 episodes of weekly livestreams. Presented topics encompass all areas of polar research, the scientific and societal aspects of climate change and biodiversity loss, and new technologies to deal with the changing world and climate of the future. We show that constant engagement by a group of co-hosts and presenters representing all topics, career stages, and genders enables the continuous growth of views and subscriptions, i.e. a measurable impact. After 783 d, the channel gained 30 251 views and 828 subscribers and hosted well-known scientists, while enabling especially early-career researchers to foster their outreach and media skills. We show that interactive and science-related videos, both live and on-demand, within a pleasant atmosphere, can be produced alongside the main research activity by scientists, while also maintaining high quality. We further discuss the challenges and possible improvements for the future. Our experiences will help other researchers conduct meaningful scientific outreach and push the boundaries of existing formats towards a better understanding of climate change and our planet.
AWI Organizations > Biosciences > Deep Sea Ecology and Technology
AWI Organizations > Climate Sciences > Climate Dynamics
AWI Organizations > Biosciences > Ecological Chemistry
AWI Organizations > Biosciences > Young Investigator Group: Marine carbon and ecosystem feedbacks in the Earth System
AWI Organizations > Biosciences > Marine Biogeosciences
AWI Organizations > Institutes > HIFMB: Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity
AWI Organizations > Climate Sciences > Physical Oceanography of the Polar Seas
AWI Organizations > Biosciences > Aquaculture and Marine Biomimetics
AWI Organizations > Biosciences > (deprecated) Junior Research Group: ECOTRACE
Helmholtz Research Programs > CHANGING EARTH (2021-2027) > PT2:Ocean and Cryosphere in Climate > ST2.3: Sea Level Change
Helmholtz Research Programs > CHANGING EARTH (2021-2027) > PT2:Ocean and Cryosphere in Climate > ST2.4: Advanced Research Technologies for Tomorrow
Helmholtz Research Programs > CHANGING EARTH (2021-2027) > PT6:Marine and Polar Life: Sustaining Biodiversity, Biotic Interactions, Biogeochemical Functions > ST6.1: Future ecosystem functionality
Helmholtz Research Programs > CHANGING EARTH (2021-2027) > PT6:Marine and Polar Life: Sustaining Biodiversity, Biotic Interactions, Biogeochemical Functions > ST6.3: The future biological carbon pump
Helmholtz Research Programs > CHANGING EARTH (2021-2027) > PT2:Ocean and Cryosphere in Climate > ST2.2: Variability and Extremes
Helmholtz Research Programs > CHANGING EARTH (2021-2027) > PT4:Coastal Transition Zones under Natural and Human Pressure > ST4.2: Coastal Ecosystem Sustainability against the backdrop of natural and anthropogenic drivers
Helmholtz Research Programs > CHANGING EARTH (2021-2027) > PT7:Towards a Sustainable Bioeconomy - From Resources to Products > ST7.1: Biological and Environmental Resources for Sustainable Use