Global spreading of science blogging - is too slow? : A Blog Around The Clock

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My scientific specialty is chronobiology (circadian rhythms and photoperiodism), with additional interests in comparative physiology, animal behavior and evolution. I am not an MD so I cannot diagnose and treat your sleep problems. As well as writing this blog, I am also the Online Discussion Expert for PLoS. This is a personal blog and opinions within it in no way reflect the policies of PLoS. You can contact me at: Coturnix@gmail.com

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Global spreading of science blogging - is too slow?

Category: Blogging • Science Reporting
Posted on: May 4, 2007 9:26 AM, by Coturnix

Arunn and Selva are wondering why more Indian scientists don't write blogs, while Danica wonders the same about Serbian scientists. I guess every nation will have its own idiosyncratic ways of getting there, but it is also important to note that in the USA where most of the popular science blogs are located and where there are LOTS of scientists, only a tiny percentage writes blogs or considers doing so in the future. Canadians, Western Europeans and Australians are already catching up in proportion to their own scientific populations. The rest of the world will probably catch up in a few years as well. It's just that the Americans started first. Also, it is a matter of perceptions as English-language blogs will be much more likely to become well-known outside the borders of their countries. Are there many science blogs in Chinese or Japanese languages? Perhaps, but we don't know.

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Comments

one aspect of American cultural decay, much exacerbated by the enablers and electors of the conservative administration, is the status of scientists. They are not the trusted elite to a majority of Americans as they once were.

I wonder if in places like India , the relative rarity of a university education and a career in science or in Serbia, for other cultural reasons, scientists still hold an elite status. It would, unfortunately, be human nature for the elite to act the part of an elite and not leave their documents open to the masses.

Posted by: greensmile | May 4, 2007 11:04 AM

>I wonder if in places like India , the relative rarity of a university education and a career in science

That and the unfamiliarity with internet as a medium of public discussion. Unfamiliarity leads to shyness, like how my grandmother feels shy and hides her face whenever I try to take a photograph of her.

Posted by: Selva | May 4, 2007 11:45 AM

CogDaily gets regular links from blogs using character sets I don't understand. Arabic? Chinese? I'm not sure.

Posted by: Dave Munger | May 4, 2007 1:08 PM

The thing is that we should separate terms blogging and science blogging. There are lot of random bloggers in Serbia, not-dedicated bloggers etc. But considering Science blogging, I wouldn't say, as mentioned above (Selva or greensmile), that it is about the lack of digital literacy. ESociety in Serbia is not digitaly literal (lack of hardware and/or Internet connection) in general, but as Bora tries to find out why is Sci-blogging spreading so slow, I may say for Serbia beacuse the researchers and scientists still didn't raise their level of 'scientific' consciousness of communicating or discussing on scientific issues with their colleagues via other e-forms (besides email, listservs, etc), such as blog.They are now adjusting and using e-resources via eConsortias and all available free information they can find there.
There are rare examples of sci-blogs, but I think if someone spreads the information on science blogs or teaches them how to manage, share information and interact - they will certainly start blogging.
For example, I started with blogging in 2003 when I moved to UNC- SILS, Chapel Hill. It was a 'part of the process' as I had many interesting 'human-computer interaction' courses. Meanwhile, I changed 4, 5 blog URL's, and blogging became as a part of my DNK code. Maybe, if I didn't had the stipend and went to US, I wouldn't had a chance to 'learn' about new ICT's, such as blogs (during that time).
People need time to go one step further. But that time is going to come very fast. As long as small group of people discuss, hyperlink and spread the information.

Posted by: Danica | May 4, 2007 4:05 PM

"Also, it is a matter of perceptions as English-language blogs will be much more likely to become well-known outside the borders of their countries."

You got it.

Posted by: Yan | May 6, 2007 6:02 PM

Bora, here's a new (for me) member of science blogosphere
I found this evening - representative from China! : ) Yan writes in English about very useful and interesting topics.

Posted by: Danica | May 6, 2007 6:13 PM

For Serbia: surrounding is changing too fast and none can be sure where the trouble might come from - try speaking what you think and you will know what I'm saying (I'm used to been odd for speaking what's on my mind). In shaky science minimal funding conditions and transition, people double think to whom and how spread information. At least from what I know being there until 2005. As Danica said, lack of everything. It will take some time until people learn how to use blogs, to "upgrade" from personal circle of trusted friends and communities to be open and blog. World is too small.

I would greatly encourage my fellow researchers to develop science blogging. Very important part of it is including teachers in schools to take part in it hoping they'll "infest" kids on time.

Posted by: Tanja Sova | May 6, 2007 8:55 PM