BètaBreak presents: The Science of Conspiracies

Conspiracy theories are of all times, but the COVID-19 pandemic offers an interesting framework to explore the mechanisms behind them. How do conspiracy theories evolve, and how grounded are the concerns from a scientific perspective? And if we go beyond those questions, how do we as scientists contribute to the proliferation of these theories, and how can we improve?

Science communication is the bridge between science and the larger public, and as a science on its own, it is currently being tested. The stakes are high and the scale on which communication takes place is enormous. A complicated interaction between scientists, science communicators, governments and citizens arises, and somewhere in this mix, conspiracy theories evolve. In times of a global pandemic, conspiracy theories have the potential to harm global health, and it is essential to evaluate our role as scientists and science communicators in the development thereof. Science communication is key, and its role in light of conspiracy theories will be the subject of this BètaBreak.

Date: December 2nd
Time: 8PM - 9PM
Register via spui25.nl.