Long abstract:

This presentation explores creative agency Kurzgesagt’s “We Lied To You… and We’ll Do it Again” video (created for the EU-funded TRESCA project in 2021) and NASA's Instagram account. Both make use of popular culture to enhance public understanding of complex scientific topics. We investigate how NASA and Kurzgesagt leverage a comic visual style, memes and popular visual formats to mobilise a heterogeneous cultural network in communicating scientific concepts.

Our study shows NASA's strategic use of pop culture references, such as memes, songs, and films, to make science accessible and engaging. Through visual comparisons, astronomical images are re-imagined, bridging the gap between abstract concepts and everyday experiences. Kurzgesagt’s confessional style, exemplified in the “We Lied To You” video, allows unique insight into how they create their work, focusing on simplifying and translating scientific complexities into unique vector-style cartoon videos. This approachable strategy to science communication allows ‘fans’ to respond positively to their creations and content.

Both approaches not only address the communicative challenge of abstract knowledge transfer but promote science literacy by tapping into shared (pop-)cultural knowledge. They simultaneously reinforce forms of cultural knowledge, and in their respective media create new forms of cultural knowledge. Framing science communication and popular culture together here highlights the symbiotic relationship between new practices in science communication and culturally aware use of social media platforms to engage diverse audiences. This study contributes to understanding the transformative potential of leveraging popular culture in science communication, connecting science with everyday life experiences and evolving cultural trends.