Have you ever wondered what scientific buzzwords mean for you as a consumer? Or what about understanding concepts like ‘machine learning’ or ‘neural networks’ when everyone is telling you that artificial intelligence (AI) is threatening to take over your job?

Scientific literacy is how individuals use science to shape their understanding of the world and make significant decisions about their lives. Health literacy — a subset of scientific literacy — is when individuals are equipped to better understand the scientific literature on how their bodies work so they can improve health outcomes. A 2011 review published in Annals of Internal Medicine found that low health literacy is associated with poorer health outcomes. As the World Health Organization notes, an individual’s literacy status is a stronger predictor of health status than education level or ethnicity.

Scientific communication and literacy are essential components of a healthy and democratic society. With the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the growing popularity of biohacking — despite the dangers of certain biohacking methods — and even the commercialisation of the wellness industry, understanding what certain terms and concepts mean puts power back into our hands. 

In an increasingly digitized world, in-person scientific education centers, pop-up exhibitions, and other public events are essential in facilitating scientific literacy and appreciation. In fact, data published by the Ontario Science Centre reveals that 90 per cent of Canadians view science centers as “being among the most trusted sources of accurate information.” Exhibitions that are curated by science educators can act as a way to combat misinformation and reach diverse audiences. 

The power of physical media: The De Cerebro exhibition

The De cerebro exhibition at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library is a testament to the relevance of physical spaces in a digital world. Created by Science and Medicine Librarian Alexandra K. Carter, the exhibition draws upon the library’s collections of print and illustrative media from distinguished anatomists and philosophers is an excellent deep dive into the origins of modern-day neuroscience. It will continue to run until April 25.

Physical media displays allow science to outstretch its arms to people who might not typically be interested in the seemingly mundane and verbose nature of science. Through the integration of various art forms — documentary film, collages, and even performance — scientific research and history can appeal to both those with a PhD behind their name and to those who don’t know what DNA stands for. 

The De cerebro exhibition delicately balances technical vocabulary with detailed explanations of the historical and scientific wonders of the brain, making it an excellent option for learners of any level to engage with. For example, on delicate display was German humanist scholar Gregor Reisch’s 1512 text Margarita Philosophica, an early encyclopedia that conceptualized the brain as composed of three ventricles — each relating to a distinct cognitive faculty such as memory or imagination. 

“I think a lot of things about physical books are just completely lost when you see them online. When we’re dealing with rare books each book is actually a unique copy,” Carter explained in an interview with The Varsity. 

Carter believes that physically experiencing materials by immersing oneself in an exhibition or library is distinct from simply accessing information online. The size and texture of materials, how they take up space, and what conditions they are in are all details that can aid the learning process but get lost in translation online.

Even for exhibitions with smaller budgets like De cerebro, the collection of different prints, texts, and other artifacts can still present a fresh approach compared to standard methods of teaching, such as text-only communication like reading a news article or learning in chronological order. 

While traditional teaching modes often emphasize a one-size-fits-all approach, this shift in accessibility turns the pursuit of scientific knowledge into a stress-free and appealing endeavour, and compensates for different learning styles too.

Why does scientific literacy matter?

Diversifying how scientific research is presented enhances its accessibility by ensuring that resources and knowledge can be found in the communities that they’re meant to serve. This is critical to ethical knowledge distribution, especially for populations where technological skills and access aren’t as widespread. Having physical spaces to engage in scientific discourse and learn from each other is essential for ensuring that information reaches the local communities that it aims to target.

The opportunity to gather in-person is crucial for dispensing scientific knowledge to people who normally wouldn’t seek it out themselves, either due to ignorance or indifference. Deviating from wordy modes of presentation and instead turning towards visual media — postcards, phrenological busts, and posters — as seen in De cerebro can make people truly interested in science. Fostering wonder in how our bodies work is the first step in encouraging health literacy for all.