How can NASA and astronomers better communicate discoveries?
There should be more conference calls, more use of Skype and webcasting for press briefings and at meetings. These electronic means of communication have a big following among science buffs. It also makes the news more accessible for reporters. For years I was firm in keeping [a tight lid on] all the press-related material at meetings, such that it was hard for reporters to get them if they weren’t at the astronomy meeting where news was announced. Those days are gone. Not only are there fewer reporters, but they have less travel money. On a positive note, scientists are much more willing to communicate about their work. It’s viewed as almost a professional responsibility to publicize your research — rather than as something that could hurt your career. In the past, it was the old Carl Sagan effect. Sagan was voted down for membership in the National Academy of Sciences. I had it from an insider that Sagan’s extensive publicity worked against him. In the 1990s, NASA and National Scienc
