The Art of Knowledge Transfer

Science is complex, science is slow. Projects that do not preach data and figures but stage experiences show how it can still be made exciting.

From CRISPR gene scissors and mRNA vaccines to generative artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicles: scientific findings and technological innovations are changing our lives at a rapid pace. Both the complexity of this new knowledge and the speed at which it is produced and unfolds its effects on us are increasingly overwhelming us – as individuals, but above all as a (democratic) society.

Communicating science to a broad public is more important than ever. But how can we make increasingly complex content understandable and comprehensible? The answer lies in new forms of storytelling. While in science, everything revolves around hypotheses, experiments, data analysis and peer reviews, and here experts usually exchange ideas with other experts (from the same field at that), even the most explosive columns of figures and measurement data are not enough to appeal to a broad public. Good stories are needed.

Ina Badics and Harald Moser work at Ars Electronica Solutions, where they develop concepts and strategies for communicating scientific content in the most vivid and exciting way possible. Together with artists, designers, developers, architects and scientists, they create multisensory experiences that combine science, technology and art. Their goal is to create unique experiences.

Attention is everything

The days when information was a scarce commodity are long gone. We are constantly bombarded with information from all sides, our smartphones are constantly ringing, beeping or vibrating to let us know that there is something ‘worth knowing’ again. What is scarce today is our attention. But how is science, with its complicated content, supposed to score points in this environment?

‘We have to find new methods to actively involve people in the dialogue,’ says Ina Badics. ’We have to build completely new bridges between research and society.’

Transfer knowledge differently

The digital transformation has radically changed the way we consume information. Social media platforms, in particular, are designed to attract our attention; they want us to stay in the respective app for as long as possible and see advertising here. The result is a media landscape that stirs up emotions instead of informing, that promotes confrontation instead of dialogue, that polarises rather than connects. In such an environment, well-founded knowledge has a hard time. Successful science communication must be strategic, develop a strong narrative and be resilient to disinformation. ‘It needs clear and comprehensible presentations and it needs credibility,’ explains Ina Badics.

From data flood to understanding

As Senior Project Manager, Ina Badics deals with the question of how complex topics can be made accessible to a wide range of target groups. Her approach: the right mix of interactivity, immersion and aesthetics is needed to transform numbers and data into tangible, emotional experiences.

‘Scientific findings are becoming ever more complex, and the general public often has little access to these topics as a result,’ says Ina Badics. ‘We don’t just want to explain knowledge, we want to bring it to life – we design visual, acoustic and haptic stimuli that evoke emotions and actively involve people.’

One example is the Oberhausen Gasometer, where Ars Electronica Solutions developed an installation that deals with the topic of the ocean. The installation ‘The Wave’ uses a sophisticated interplay of sound design and visual effects to create an immersive experience of the ocean world. Low frequencies inspired by whale songs create calm and sublimity, while higher tones symbolize the crackling of coral reefs and convey liveliness. The large-scale projections show realistic underwater scenes with flowing movements, while the color scheme, which focuses on a calming blue, is emotionally touching. Scientific findings on currents, temperature curves and changes in the oceans are subtly incorporated into the staging. The presentation is not a sober set of figures, but a story of our planet that can be experienced visually and aurally. The result is a sensual and informative experience that raises awareness of the fragility of the oceans. “It’s not about conveying textbook knowledge, but about creating an atmosphere that gives people the feeling of being part of the topic themselves,” says Badics.

In all of this, focusing on specific target groups is essential. “There is no single right way to communicate science,” she emphasises. ’Laypeople need a different approach than experts.’ This applies not only to the selection of content, but also to the design of the space. ‘Lighting, materials and design influence how we absorb information,’ explains Badics. ‘An inspiring environment encourages us to engage with scientific topics.’

Immerse, discover, understand

The European Space Agency (ESA) is a beacon of science. With its 23 member states, it is driving forward Earth observation missions and providing data that scientists, climate researchers and decision-makers worldwide use. Satellites like Sentinel-2C capture high-resolution images of the Earth’s surface, monitor agricultural areas, analyse water quality and document natural disasters in real time. The MetOp satellites provide data that helps to refine short-term weather forecasts and visualise long-term climate changes. All these missions are not an end in themselves – they help us to learn to understand our planet and how things are connected, to recognise changes and to make sustainable decisions.

The fact is that the ESA has an incredible number of incredibly exciting stories to tell. One person who is more aware of this than most is Harald Moser. As Head of Science Experience at Ars Electronica Solutions, he has been working with the ESA for years, meticulously crafting the way these stories are told.

It all began in 2016 with the ‘Spaceship Earth’ exhibition at the Ars Electronica Center in Linz. ‘The focus was on Earth observation – the technologies used for this, the measurement data obtained and the insights derived from them,’ recalls Harald Moser. ‘We developed an interactive exhibition around satellite data on climate change and environmental monitoring that offered visitors a unique, immersive experience.’ ESA satellite images could be explored on rotating multi-touch screens, allowing visitors to research topics such as environmental change and global climate processes. A large floor projection of a globe fed with real-time data made phenomena such as weather developments, ocean currents or temperature changes visible and tangible.

‘Our ESA colleagues liked our concept and its implementation so much that they commissioned us to work on the next project shortly afterwards,’ says Harald Moser. The new ESA Science Experience in Frascati, Italy, is scheduled to open in 2018 and will give the general public an insight into the world of satellites: Dedicated to ESA’s Earth-observing activities, ESA-ESRIN is the European centre of excellence for exploitation of Earth observation missions. The mission and payload operations of ESA’s Earth observation satellites are managed here, and ESRIN is the primary source for the acquisition, distribution, and exploitation of data from these and other non-ESA satellites.

‘We took a holistic approach,’ says Moser. ‘Instead of just presenting data in an informative way, we use a holistic approach. By combining interior design, light, sound and haptic experiences, we create a science experience that not only imparts knowledge, but also makes it tangible.’ The ‘Half-Dome Globe’ was at the centre of the room, onto which geospheric data was projected in 4K. Visitors can use this crystal glass sphere to navigate through time and space and explore global phenomena. In the ‘Control Room’, satellite launches can be simulated, missions can be followed in real time and technical details of satellites can be explored.

In addition to digital experiences, haptic objects have an enormous influence on our perception. ‘A physical model of a satellite or a meteorite has a completely different effect than a digital simulation,’ says Moser. ‘Elements that we can touch and feel help us to make emotional connections.’

For Harald Moser, the future of science communication lies in combining new technologies with human interaction. ‘No AI-controlled hologram can replace direct, personal communication,’ he emphasises. ‘But by making targeted use of technologies such as lighting control, sound design and interactive displays, we can create spaces that inspire people and enable them to gain a deeper understanding of scientific concepts.’

Interactive, immersive, emotional

In order to communicate science in a contemporary way, researchers, designers and educators must work together much more closely and on an equal footing. Interdisciplinary concepts are crucial to transforming science from an abstract construct to a living, tangible reality. Projects such as the installation ‘The Wave’ in the Oberhausen Gasometer or the ESA Science Experience in Frascati show that this can work.

Science and technology form the foundation of our lives. It is essential that we know about it – especially in a democracy where we all decide in which direction we want to develop or not. This can only succeed if science opens up, seeks dialogue with the general public and engages in contemporary science communication. Teams like the Ars Electronica Solutions can support them in this and ensure that this communication is emotional, immersive and participatory. Generative AI is another exciting technology that is coming into play here. However, Ina Badics and Harald Moser agree that we humans will always be at the centre of successful concepts: it is not the performance potential of technologies, but our needs and interests as individuals and as a society that must be the starting point and at the same time the goal of science communication.

You can find out more about the Ars Electronica Solutions projects here.