Catalyzed by the pandemic, the audiobook market has rapidly expanded, with a staggering 100% increase in users on Chinese audiobook platforms in 2020. The market is gradually maturing. People are increasingly favoring audiobooks due to their versatile applications compared to videos. Audiobooks can be enjoyed during commutes, relaxation before sleep, and various other scenarios. In today's fast-paced world, people's leisure time has become fragmented, which poses achallenge for long-time learning and a significant issue in mass education. Therefore, formats like podcasts, which guide individuals to utilize fragmented leisure time for learning, undoubtedly emerge as the ideal choice for mass education.
We teamed up with BNUZH-China to produce a compelling series of six popular science podcast”Takeaway Biology”on synthetic biology. Each episode delves into topics intimately connected to our daily lives, such as genetically modified foods, fermentation, and beyond. These blogs are presented in both English and Chinese, accessible on the NetEase Cloud Music platform, and simultaneously shared through our WeChat public account.
The essence of a successful science communication podcast lies in its combination of both engaging and informative content.
Whether people decide to click on our podcast and continue listening, and whether they could gain accurate scientific knowledge through it all reflect the effectiveness of our podcast as a science communication tool.
Therefore, the careful selection of podcast topics and the creation of content are of utmost importance. Furthermore, since podcasts are a distinct form of audio program,
we must also emphasize the quality of "sound" to provide listeners with the best possible listening experience.
Below, we will provide specific details about our podcast production process, which can serve as a reference for future iGEM teams interested in creating podcasts.
To start with podcast creation, it's crucial to pinpoint your target audience. Are they professionals with relevant expertise or everyday individuals intrigued by a particular subject? The intended audience decides the content's depth, topic choices, and overall impact. Moreover, remember to select an enticing name for your podcast. Drawing inspiration from BBC's educational segment "Takeaway English", we've titled our podcast "Takeaway Biology". This podcast delivers succinct content, enabling listeners to effortlessly carry synthetic biology knowledge with them and relish scientific insights in their spare moments.
Our target audience is the general public. Therefore, following discussions with BNUZH-China, we searched for topics that closely resonate with people's lives and capture their interest.
Food safety and medical health are two areas of paramount importance to the Chinese population. Consequently, a majority of our selected topics center around these aspects.
To illustrate, in the context of food safety, we delve into widely concerning subjects like "cultured meat" and "genetically modified organisms (GMOs)" to engage in informative discussions.
We also establish a relatable connection by branching out from topics such as "fermentation" to "microbial fermentation" and "biological engineering".
In terms of medical health, we've chosen a pivotal milestone in synthetic biology's history - the"biosynthesis of artemisinin precursor". This decision enables us to present the developmental journey of malaria and artemisinin, which holds significant relevance to medical health.
Once the topic is determined, you can commence the process of creating the script. To uphold the scientific integrity of the educational content, we diligently collect and organize pertinent literature related to the chosen subject.
Engaging in discussions, we outline the script's framework and pivotal content points. Subsequently, experts from the pertinent domain review and implement any required modifications*.
Recognizing that podcasts convey information exclusively through auditory means, it becomes imperative to imbue the program with a distinct character. This is achieved by incorporating consistent opening and closing statements,
or even adopting unique catchphrases that align with the show's essence. These elements play a crucial role in establishing memorable touchpoints for the audience.
In an effort to expand the audience of our podcast, we've incorporated bilingual voiceovers in both Chinese and English versions.
To enhance the auditory experience for our users, our voiceovers not only maintain standardized pronunciation but also incorporate appropriate intonation, pauses, and occasional well-placed exaggeration.
Additionally, we've recognized that the success of a podcast often relies on the distinctiveness of the host's voice.
When selecting background music, it's essential to avoid extremes, such as tunes that are overly somber or overly cheerful. This precaution ensures that the music complements rather than overshadows the content.
Optimal background music should convey a sense of technology, possess a moderately paced yet pleasantly relaxing quality.
We've discovered that a podcast's cover and title play a pivotal role in its broad influence. These visual elements are often the first impressions for potential listeners and directly impact their decision to engage.
Drawing from extensive observations and statistical insights, podcast covers typically feature prominently displayed text accompanied by relevant and straightforward graphics.
Titles often take on an interrogative form and are ideally linked to current societal trends.
The frequency of podcast releases is another crucial consideration. Rather than releasing all content simultaneously, a measured approach of scheduling regular intervals is recommended. This strategy ensures a consistent flow of audience to your content.
Lastly, we harnessed all available resources to promote the podcast across our public accounts and within our social circles. The outcome was truly remarkable: our podcast experienced a notable surge of 12,000 plays within just a month!
You can subscribe to our NetEase Cloud account to listen to our podcast!
With the surge in self-media, science education through comics has progressively captured the public's attention and earned the affection of numerous subscribers. Comics, with their entertainment value and broad appeal, serve as a limitless gateway to knowledge. By employing captivating comic illustrations and witty text, they facilitate a deeper comprehension of synthetic biology while sidestepping the use of intricate technical jargon, ultimately stoking people's interest in science.
SynBio Hourstory is a popular science initiative collaboratively launched by eight iGEM teams hailing from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS-China), Lanzhou University (LZU-China), Beijing Normal University (BNU-China), Hainan University (HainanU-China), Ocean University of China (OUC-China), Wuhan University (WHU-China), Tianjin University (Tianjin), and Guangxi University (GXU-China). Its primary objective is to disseminate key milestones in synthetic biology to the general public by means of straightforward and aesthetically pleasing comic narratives. Across these eight succinct comic tales, you will embark on a journey to fathom how humanity systematically unraveled the enigma of the genetic code and how synthetic biology advanced from "comprehending DNA" to "utilizing DNA."
1. Take part in the "Have You Learned? 🔍" section, where we append straightforward multiple-choice questions at the conclusion of each installment, reinforcing the knowledge imparted in the comic.
2. Engage in our discussions regarding synthetic biology questions. The themes for each episode's discussion will be promptly posted on Zhihu (a Chinese question-and-answer website), encouraging readers to exchange their insights.
You can follow our WeChat Official Account to read our comics, and can also follow SynBio Hourstory on Zhihu to join the discussions!
1. WHU-China: 1953 - Discovery of the DNA double helix structure
2. OUC-China: 1957 - Establishment of the Central Dogma
3. LZU-China: 1965 - Artificial synthesis of bovine insulin
4. HainanU-China: 1970s - Discovery of plasmids
5. UCAS-China: 1990s - Human Genome Project (HGP)
6. GXU-China: 2002 - Artificial synthesis of the poliovirus genome
7. BNU-China: 2003 - Engineering the artemisinin precursor pathway
8. Tianjin: 2017 - Artificial synthesis of yeast chromosomes
Meet Gemi (小歌), a young lad with luscious light and dark green locks, who adorns his hair with verdant gear-shaped hairpins. He embodies human curiosity and symbolizes iGEM.
And then there's Coli (小菌), who may appear somewhat quirky but possesses a wealth of experience. Coli guides the young human, Gemi, into the realm of microbiology and synthetic biology.
The popularity of various short video platforms has driven the rapid development of video education. Whether it's on platforms like TikTok, Kwai, or Bilibili, we often see educational videos featured on the recommended homepage for every viewer.
Therefore, for the purpose of public education, we have created an educational video and uploaded it to Bilibili, the most popular video platform in China.
In addition, educational animations have replaced traditional promotional methods, transforming traditional oral presentations, graphic content, physical samples, and more into effective animated forms of communication.
By using vivid and engaging animations to explain synthetic biology knowledge, these videos are short in duration but rich in information, highly entertaining, and easy to share.
This form of short video has given a new dimension to educational work, allowing us to ignite public interest in exploring synthetic biology and promoting widespread knowledge.
After uploading the video to the website platform, it has already been viewed by nearly 2000 audience members and has received many interactive comments. For instance, people have asked us, "What is the difference between this and genetic engineering?" and others who were drawn to synthetic biology itself have told us, "I want to learn more about this field", "I feel this is the future of the Earth", and more. We are delighted that this video has achieved our educational expectations and has sparked the interest of some individuals in synthetic biology. By interpreting synthetic biology knowledge in a fun and storytelling manner, these educational videos have changed people's stereotypical perceptions of biology being difficult to understand, making synthetic biology a part of mainstream life.
A successful video requires the combination of interest and science. Below we introduce the steps to make a popular science video, which will be of great help for iGEMers in the future.
Before producing the video, we need to determine the audience and the topic of the video. The topic should be tailored the audience.
For example, if your audience is the general public,the topic should be simplified in order to make it understandable to a wider range of people.
On the contrary, if you choose the students who major in synthetic biology as your target audiences, the content should be more specific.
Considering our target audience is the general public,we determined “What is synthetic biology”as our topic .
A great deal of information need to be collected carefully. We can also invite some professors to double-check the authenticity. These information can come from a variety of sources, such as books, the Internet, science magazines, etc.
Based on the information and data gathered, start writing copy and video scripts. When writing the copy, you need to consider the length, pace and the amount of information of the video. The length of the video can be determined by how much information is finally organized, and of course depends on the ability of your team. The video can be as short as just two or three minutes, but it must be made with care. Besides, the video script needs to include details of every shot, making it easier for the following production. The quality of a video is directly related to its copy and script, so we need to polish them over and over again.
After the copy and video script are confirmed, we can start animation making. It is important to note that we need to fully consider the effects and information of the video, as well as to ensure the clarity and color harmony of the screen. Post-production includes editing the video, adding dubbing, subtitles and background music.
After the video was made, the video can be posted to websites or social media where video sharing is diverse. It's good for popularizing when you put proper specific tag.
In conclusion, the production of a successful science video requires adequate preparation and technical support. Through careful production, viewers can get a deep understanding while enjoying it.
Congratulations!Our educational video has already garnered 2000 views on BiliBili.
To better showcase the results of our project and enhance the audience's understanding, we have also created corresponding models.
Using spherical foam, lightweight clay, stiff iron wire, various colors of yarn, and watercolor paints, we painstakingly crafted the final model step by step.
Step 1: Cut the foam with a hot glue gun.
Step 2: Paint the foam with colors.
Step 3: Twist the iron wire into the shape of a linker.
Step 4: Prepare mSA and biotin.Step 2: Paint the foam with colors.
Step 5: Apply adhesive tape.
Additionally, we would like to clarify that this model is merely an idealized representation and is not a rigorous physical model. It is intended for reference and demonstration purposes only.
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The repository used to create this website is available at gitlab.igem.org/2023/bnu-china.