First scientoon based book of the world published and launched worldwide
Scientoonic Tell-Tale of Genome and DNA
Madhusudan W. Pandit
Pradeep K. Srivastava
Lalji Singh
Published by: I.K. International, New Delhi
Year of publication: 2008
Scientoonics is a new discipline in science that deals with science communication by using a novel class of science cartoons called scientoons. These are essentially cartoons based on scientific concepts, discoveries, results, and their applications. The present book is an effort with entirely novel approach in communication of scientific facts in their true perspective. It will not only help the common man to acquaint himself with the scientific jargon but also make him understand how best we can make use of such facts in our day-to-day life. Recent advances in scientific research, in fact, demand pro-active efforts from the scientists so that complex ideas reach to the people effectively. The present book has essentially tried, through Scientoons, to depict present concerns brought forward by the recent explosion of knowledge, especially the knowledge about Human Genome and related areas. This collection of scientoons has addressed areas such as DNA, DNA fingerprinting, Human Genome, Conservation of Wildlife, etc.
The authors have elaborated on the scientific aspect of the scientoons and have taken an opportunity to provide information that would not only help the readers in appreciating the spirit and the humor in scientoons but also enrich their knowledge about scientific advances which are taking place around the world. Each scientoon is therefore associated with a text that narrates the serious part of the science or its applications. This book is an endeavor to reduce the gap between the excitement of some of the scientific advances in science of the present time and the curious readers who want to know more about science.
Journal of Science Communication
Science comics as tools for science education and communication: a brief, exploratory study
ABSTRACT: Comics are a popular art form especially among children and as such provide a potential medium for science education and communication. In an attempt to present science comics in a museum exhibit I found many science themed comics and graphic books. Here I attempt to provide an overview of already available comics that communicate science, the genre of ‘science comics’. I also provide a quick literature review for evidence that comics can indeed be efficiently used for promoting scientific literacy via education and communication. I address the issue of lack of studies about science comics and their readers and suggest some possible reasons for this as well as some questions that could be addressed in future studies on the effect these comics may have on science communication.
Scientoonics: Communicating science through cartoons
March 24, 2010 @ YouthKiAwaaz → No Comments
Ranjeet Kumar:
Communicating science in the language of the masses has been a challenging endeavor for science communicators. It becomes difficult to conceptualize the complexity that is inherent in science down to a medium where the content makes an audacious impact. It is an undesirable situation to know that verbal or audiovisual medium are unable to engage the common man. Such dissipation of scientific knowledge seems to be an esoteric phenomenon, quite limited to the specialist or peers and it does not seem to penetrate the grey matter of the common man.
This problem needed an innovative solution and what was born was an entirely new discipline that was christened as Scientoonics. The man behind the genesis of the discipline also the father of scientoons is P.K. Srivastava a senior scientist at Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow. He is a man who needs no introduction; he has a multifaceted personality and is an excellent communicator. Scientoons are expression of scientific knowledge in the language of cartoons. It can be precisely defined as the cartoons, based on various scientific concepts. They are witty and informative and cover a broad spectrum of subject areas presented in an understandable and interesting but more importantly in a thought-provoking way. The structure of scientoons is very simple on the left hand side there is the description of a scientific fact or concept and on the right hand side there is a scientoon, and at the bottom of which a witty quote follows. With the help of these scientoons he has been able to put hard scientific concepts in a pictographic manner that appeal to the thought process of the audience. His efforts have been recognized widely and have fetched him numerous awards. It is his tedious effort that scientoonics has been recognized as a separate discipline and many universities have added it in their science communication syllabus. He has been propagating this idea through various forums and has lectured across the globe more than 700 times.
His audience ranges from school going children to highly learned scientists and even noble laureates. He with his charismatic personality and innovative thought process and presentation style has transformed the way we look at science. Time is not far away when we will have newer disciplines like scienanimatics branching out from scientoonics enabling us to reach an ever wider audience.
