Communicating science breakthroughs through video

A golden opportunity for researchers to communicate their latest findings, writes Jessica Payne

From TikTok clips to reels in the metaverse, billions of people are part of an ever-growing, captive audience for video content.

This presents a golden opportunity for researchers to communicate their latest findings. In fact, video has swiftly become a cornerstone for science communication.

According to Global Media Insight, YouTube surpassed 2.7 billion monthly users in August 2024. Furthermore, 91.8% of internet users globally consume video content weekly, according to Oberlo/DataReportal.

As researchers explore new technological frontiers, the need for compelling, eye-catching content becomes even more critical. Communicating complex scientific findings in concise, engaging formats might seem daunting, but experts in science communication specialise in simplifying the complex – making it accessible to broader audiences. After all, the goal of science communication is to maximise societal impact. The Covid-19 pandemic offered a vivid reminder of just how crucial timely, accurate science communication is for public health and policy.

Making science digestible

Since 2020, with attention spans continuing to shrink, video has emerged as a solution for tackling intricate subjects in a digestible format. A 2021 study by Ilana Dubovi and Iris Tabak revealed that aside from entertainment and music, science and technology are among the top trending search terms on YouTube. Given this trend, scientists stand to benefit greatly from video summaries that make their findings easier to understand and, consequently, more impactful.

A prime example of video’s potential in science communication comes from a research group at the University of York and South Tees Hospitals Trust. They conducted the UK Frozen Shoulder Trial (UK FroST), a large-scale study comparing treatments for frozen shoulder, a common condition causing pain and stiffness in the shoulder joint. The team needed their results to reach patients, clinicians, and allied health professionals, and timed the release of communication materials to coincide with their research paper's publication in The Lancet.

The group chose to create a concise, two-minute 2D animation to communicate their findings. The animation’s brevity made it ideal for retaining viewers’ attention while ensuring information recall. Moreover, the visual format made complex data accessible and engaging. Promoted across YouTube, Facebook, and X, the video was strategically released to align with the paper's publication.

The campaign has performed very well on social media, with 10,639 YouTube views, 200 hours of watch time, and a total of 170k impressions to date. The video was shared widely within the healthcare community, with patients, clinicians, and allied health professionals praising its accessibility. The UK National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) even reposted the video on X, further amplifying its reach. An NHS physiotherapist tweeted within a day of the launch: “I’ve already used this with a patient today. They found it really easy to understand and helpful.”

Catering to different learning styles

BioBuddy is another prime example of how effective videos can be in an educational setting. It caters to various learning styles with its platform of animated lecture videos, designed to be both engaging and easy to understand. The animations are particularly beneficial for visual learners, making complex concepts more accessible and memorable.

The platform uses tailored 2D and 3D animated content to cover the entire AP (A-level equivalent) biology curriculum, which includes 8 units with 4 to 9 videos per unit. These animations are complemented by live-action narration, providing engaging and accessible content for an educational streaming service.

The results have been very positive, especially for visual learners, and align with founder Chris Egasti’s vision of making education more accessible.

Video is not only more engaging but also helps audiences better understand research. It raises researchers' profiles, increases chances for citation, and makes work more shareable. Captivating internet users with high-quality content is a powerful tool for spreading authentic scientific findings while also combating misinformation.

The use of video to simplify complex scientific ideas is reminiscent of how MTV revolutionised the music industry in the 1980s. Just as music videos catapulted musicians into stardom, today’s videos – whether animations or one-minute video summaries – democratise access to research, making data more accessible than ever before. In the near future, it may be unimaginable for a research paper to be published without a corresponding video summary.

Jessica Payne is Head of Marketing at Research Publishing International Ltd, a Karger Company