Researchers, let’s set the scene. It’s conference time, and you’ve just presented a full 15 or 30-minutes of incredible science. As your time slot comes to its end, you might think you’ve wrapped up your research presentation. But before you heave that sigh of relief and put down the laser pointer, there's still the inevitable to come: Question time. ✍️ Ah crud. What will be asked? How should you answer? Many of us find ourselves tongue-tied when confronting questions and even critiques from the audience. For many, the unpredictable nature of the experience can be intimidating ..read more

Science and art—two disciplines that seem to be far apart at the first glance. Yet, upon closer inspection, we realise that there are many similarities and overlapping skills needed in both domains. Both rely on keen observation and the ability to reduce complex topics into their individual components and their relationships, to see the trees instead of the forest. Here, we explore the symbiosis of observation and creativity, written by Dr Philipp Dexheimer and Dr Elisabeth Kugler; two scientists first, artists second, and forever science artists. Observing Parallels While some might ar ..read more

Have you ever found yourself at a conference, standing in front of a scientific poster that was clearly a labour of love, meticulously designed and brimming with ground-breaking data, only to be distracted by a jarring, pixelated image with a glaring white background? Or perhaps you've seen a logo stuffed uncomfortably into the edge of a poster, as if it were an unwanted guest at a party. I’ve seen it all, and I’m sure you have too. The problem is that these graphical blips are far too common. For some, these little mistakes in a poster’s design may even detract from the quality of the overal ..read more

As a researcher, you're no stranger to facts and figures. But what happens when you’re suddenly thrown into the deep end of the creative ocean? Perhaps you have been asked to design a scientific poster... or put together a beautiful presentation… Where do you start?! Graphic design is like a foreign language to scientists. Like: Shape theory—What’s that? Colour wheels—You’ve lost me! It’s a whole load of mumbo-jumbo! But fret not, there’s a science behind the design process. In this three-part series, we share the scientific backbone behind certain design choices, empower ..read more

Animations, simply put, are magical. They have the profound ability to simplify complicated ideas, storylines, and concepts, making them incredibly effective for communicating the intricacies of science. But, have you ever wondered what goes into the making of a science animation? If you've been holding onto thoughts of outsourcing your own animation, this article is a great place to begin! ✨ Today, we're thrilled to take you on a journey behind the scenes and share how our talented team transforms scientific concepts into engaging animations. From the inception of an idea to the final p ..read more

Scientific journal covers may not be the first thing that comes to mind when considering captivating imagery, but much like popular magazine covers, they hold their unique charm. Think Vogue or The New York Times Style Magazine, but for the more… scientifically inclined. And as riveting as a perfect model shot can be, there’s something irresistibly unique about the unrivalled beauty of scientific advancements. Magazine or journal cover aside, their goal remains the same: To intrigue, engage, and draw in readers. As per annual tradition, our team at Animate Your Science has combed through an i ..read more

Imagine this: You're fervently collating your latest research into a visually compelling scientific poster. You’ve written your attention-grabbing title, picked a cohesive colour scheme, and planned a logical layout for your content. ✨ Suddenly, you encounter a problem — what do you do about citations and references? You have so many “essential” papers, your poster is sure to look cluttered. So, should you include them? It’s a divisive subject! A recent poll we conducted on LinkedIn revealed a striking split among our audience: 60% believed yes, posters should have references, while the other ..read more

Imagine being able to generate your research paper in the time it takes to brew your morning coffee. ☕️ Preposterous, right? Well, thanks to the rise of generative AI such as ChatGPT, this scenario isn't just a hypothetical future. It's practically the present. ✨ But here's the twist — it's not just about what AI can write, but also about who legally owns that writing. Behind the dazzling promise of generative AI lies a legal labyrinth still to be navigated. Lucky for you, we found someone to throw the gavel at it. ‍⚖️ To navigate this dynamic landscape, we turned to former lawyer and commun ..read more

Learning can be hard. And remembering what you’ve learned can be even more difficult. Many students scratch their heads when they’re first introduced to a complex scientific concept in class. I sure did. It was only after class when I reinforced my learning with an animated explainer video on YouTube, that I was FINALLY able to understand the science and let out a breath of relief. That's the power of science animations for eLearning. Both engaging and concise — science animations have found a place in modern curriculums, transforming the way we digest and comprehend complex scientific ideas ..read more

New publications always call for an epic celebration. In fact, preparing a manuscript for publication is actually very similar to planning ahead for a HUGE event. The planning committee? That’s your crew of co-authors. ‍♂️‍♀️ ‍ The peer-reviewers? The special guests you just “had” to invite. And who are the rest of the guests? That’s your target audience waiting to read your work! But every successful event also needs a way to get the word out to the masses. You’ll need some amazing flyers, or a whole billboard! Or better yet for your paper, you’ll need a graphical abstract! So if you’re look ..read more