In times of COVID-19, trust in science has become crucial for the world’s well-being. In the day and age of the internet however, we are often exposed to the opinions of those who reject scientific findings. In this BètaBreak edition we examine how conspiracy theories evolve and analyse the concerns they invoke from a scientific perspective.
December 2, 2020
20:00-21:00
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 develop. 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.
The BètaBreak is a monthly science platform of the Faculty of Science of the UvA. Every month different experts are invited to speak about the latest developments in science. Former editions discussed themes such as cultured meat, nuclear energy and psychedelics. The BètaBreak seeks to analyse various scientific topics from an interdisciplinary perspective. The platform has had the honour to welcome guests as Robbert Dijkgraaf, Eric Verlinde and Nobel Prize laureate Ben Feringa. For more information, go to: http://www.betabreak.nl
Please fill in the form using this link. A link to the livestream will be emailed to you prior to the event.
This publication has been reproduced with permission from the University of Amsterdam. Source.
Looking for partners to collaborate. Or looking for a certain expertise? Or would you like to locate your business in the Amsterdam Science Park? Drop us a line and we help you to find a perfect match.
Subscribe to our LinkedIn-newsletter and we will keep you updated on all that our park has to offer. It will arrive to your inbox five times a year and you can unsubscribe easily at any time.
Subscribe