Deliver microbiological concepts to a general audience with an animated cartoon

Background: As stated by the European Charter for Researchers, scientists should ensure that their research activities are made known to society at large in such a way that they can be understood by non-specialists, thereby improving the public’s understanding of science (EC 2005). Science communication is considered a fundamental tool to promote science study, to raise the visibility of universities and their research groups, and to influence policy decisions and funding opportunities. Objectives: The aim of this work was to create an animated cartoon to raise awareness among young people, citizens, end-users and policy makers about the significance and the broad impacts of the EU funded project ESENCYA “Environmental SENsory perception in CYAnobacterial biofilms: understanding biodeterioration of outdoor stone materials in a changing environment”. Methods: By working with a multifunctional team composed of character designers, visual development artists, communication specialists and scientists, we created a visually engaging story about complex concepts in new and innovative ways. We translated complex information and ideas into intuitive and effective visual explanations, and we used a narrative strategy to get our message across, clearly and concisely while reducing misunderstanding. Conclusions: This animated cartoon wants to encourage and inspire actions directed towards raising public awareness of the importance of sciences for our contemporary society in a cultural and historical perspective. The microbiology community, in Europe and around the world, can find ideas, blueprints and suggestions for activities directed towards raising public awareness of science, technology and other fields where microbiology plays a strong role.