What Godzilla Can Teach Us about Science Education

Godzilla is more than just a fire-breathing, oversized reptile that rampages the cities of Japan. Without ever uttering a sentence, Godzilla became a worldwide pop culture icon. Unlike Godzilla, science education often uses lots of words (understandably). Perhaps science communication can learn from Godzilla by better communicating science with visuals and minimal words. I propose the use of comics. Comics are a form of language – a series of visuals and short sentences welded together into to create a story. These can then appeal to the public, simplify scientific concepts, and facilitate public understanding. Squidtoons is devoted to illustrating scientific research through comics. I will share some of our experiences as a science comic illustrator and discuss the potential role of comics in science communication.