News
Collections in the Spotlight: how Nature Today opens up science
In this series, we highlight special collections and databases. This time, we shine a light on Nature Today, an open platform for daily nature news. We interviewed founder Arnold van Vliet, researcher at the Earth Systems and Global Change group, to learn how the platform helps to bridge the gap between science and society.
What kind of collection is Nature Today?
Simply put: Nature Today is a platform for news about nature. The stories are written by biologists from WUR and other organisations, covering a wide range of topics — butterflies, mammals, dragonflies, plants, birds, you name it. We work with about 40 content partners such as nature organisations, knowledge institutions, the government, and land managers. WUR scientists also contribute regularly.
They all contribute content related to current developments in nature. The stories range from short news articles to in-depth pieces, often based on field observations or new research. While most stories are still in Dutch, we are gradually publishing more in English.
What motivated you to start Nature Today?
There’s a big gap between what we know about nature and how that knowledge is shared with society.
I really believe that if we inform the public and specific groups with relevant, science-based news about nature, people will become more connected with it. They’ll understand it better, appreciate it more, and hopefully contribute to its conservation and monitoring.
At WUR, we publish a lot of valuable research, but it often only ends up in scientific journals and stays there. With Nature Today, we aim to bring that knowledge into society. You could say that it is a content marketing platform — a way for scientists to share their insights with the public in an accessible and professional way.
Just how big is your audience?
We have about 30,000 newsletter subscribers and 250,000 unique monthly visitors. An average article on Nature Today gets around 3,000 readers. Some hit 10,000 or more. And when media like de Volkskrant or NU.nl pick it up, your story can reach a million people. Social media also plays a big role in getting the stories out there.
Do you have any tips for fellow researchers?
Don’t wait for others to do the communication for you. It's part of being a scientist.
There’s a real need for reliable information, but the connection in many disciplines between researchers and society is still too weak. Scientists aren’t usually trained to “market” their research, but I think it’s essential. We do research not just to publish, but to have real-world impact. So it's also your job to communicate and reach out. Remember that journalists are eager for reliable, understandable information, but is has to be newsworthy. Get creative and find a unique angle or ‘hook’ that connects your research to what’s happening in nature, economics, politics, or society.
Try this: Take one of your publications and write a short, accessible summary — no more than one A4 page — in plain language. Share it through your group's communications officer or your own social channels. For nature-related research, NatureToday is a great outlet, and we’re always happy to receive contributions.
My other tip is to start small. Post something on LinkedIn or a platform like ours. You’ll learn what works and build your communication skills over time, then communicating your work doesn’t have to take a lot of time. And make sure to have a budget for it in your project proposal. Research funders increasingly expect this.
What makes Nature Today different?
Thanks to support from our partner organisations, including WUR Library, content is freely available to everyone. We work with trusted content partners who are responsible for the quality of their contributions. We do central editing, but no formal peer review. The strength is in the diversity and expertise of our contributors and in the fact that we publish several news items daily, 365 days a year.
Besides daily news, what else does Nature Today offer?
We also offer podcasts and list events, excursions, workshops, meetings, from our partners. Plus, we show real-time observations of phenomena like mosquito presence, tick activity, oak processionary caterpillars, and oak branch dieback.
What’s next for Nature Today?
We’d love to expand internationally. There’s so much potential, but we’ll need more structural funding to make that step.
This article is based on an interview with Arnold van Vliet by Corrie Snijder (Collection Specialist, WUR Library) and Annemieke Sweere (Communications, WUR Library)..