To paraphrase political psychologist Jon D. Miller, a country strengthens its decision-making capacity when science is part of everyday conversation and is communicated by explaining findings, methods, uncertainties, and practical effects. This fosters citizens capable of demanding data, distinguishing correlation from causation, and evaluating solutions that may be open to revision. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) defines scientific literacy as the ability to participate, as a reflective citizen, in scientific matters and to interpret data critically. Explaining how a conclusion is reached is as important as disseminating the result.
The Wellcome Global Monitor is the world’s largest study of public perceptions of science. Conducted in 113 countries and territories, it revealed between 2020 and 2021 that 80% of people had a great deal or some trust in science, and 77% had some trust in scientists. In the European Union, the 2021 Eurobarometer survey found that 86% of citizens had a positive view of science and technology. Thus, the evidence shows that familiarity and trust go hand in hand.
So how do we achieve this? Studies show us the way forward. To begin with, we must connect each explanation to recognizable problems. An earthquake alert system becomes meaningful when it explains what a family should do, how the threat and vulnerability are calculated, and why recommendations change as new data emerges. A vaccination program gains legitimacy when it clearly presents the benefits, risks, sources, and monitoring criteria. Similarly, a science-informed community could measure water quality in collaboration with universities and authorities, identify priorities, and share responsibility.
From the perspective of public policy, science communication demands a presence in schools, media outlets, social networks, museums, public squares, and community councils. It also requires training researchers to listen, communicate accurately and in accessible language, recognize local knowledge, and translate data into understandable decisions. UNESCO advocates taking this a step further: transforming one-way dissemination into dialogue and citizen science, in which the public participates in defining problems, collecting data, and evaluating results.
In this way, we can build a scientific culture based on useful, transparent, and participatory experiences. Those who understand how evidence is obtained can better care for their health, prepare for risks, demand coherent policies, and collaborate on collective solutions. Communicating science constitutes a civic infrastructure that unites knowledge, trust, and action, transforming curiosity into national capacity and making society an ally in its own development.
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