One hundred years of science communication – from phrenology to the neurosciences

Abstract

The sciences of brain and behavior have long fascinated the lay public, eager to apply any novel knowledge to improve both individuals and society. Be it in the fields of education, public security, mind performance and so on, the advances of neuroscience have always being followed by the flourishing of the most varied promises using scientific arguments. This appropriation of knowledge, however, is seldom precise, dangerously leading people to misinformation and false beliefs. We argue that scientists ought to be proactive science communicators, reducing the risks of distortions and fulfilling their role in university extension.