Matching labs with laughs to demystify science for children Premium

Science is commonly perceived as ‘complex’, often leaving a gap between research and the general public. The notion often instills fear in children stopping them from pursuing it or even engaging with it. Institutions like NCBS and Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) have been collaborating with Tinkle to help break this barrier and make their research accessible and interesting for children.  

Dr. Dimple Notani is a scientist with the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) studying gene regulation. But for the young readers of Tinkle Magazine, she is now a ‘superwoman’ who explains how an elephant, a monkey and a human are so different, and yet have DNA that is 98% similar.  

Notani appears in the February edition of the children’s magazine as a character breaking down the science into fun, simple and intriguing information for children.

Science is commonly perceived as ‘complex’, often leaving a gap between research and the general public. The notion often instills fear in children stopping them from pursuing it or even engaging with it. Institutions like NCBS and Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) have been collaborating with Tinkle to help break this barrier and make their research accessible and interesting for children.  

“Introducing children to science and scientific research was always on our cards,” says Jaya Peter, head of communications at ATREE. “This seemed to be a fun way to do it because comics don’t preach. It’s very easy to explain things in a comic format, and you can educate without sounding boring and teacherly.” 

Peter remembers how as a children she believed one needed to be as brainy as Einstein to be a scientist. She believes comics are a great way to dispel this myth. 

“We wanted to convey to the children that if you have a unique question and if you pursue it, that is all it takes. And we give examples of researchers who started their work that way.” 

Featuring interesting characters each time - from Duggy, the very swaggy dung beetle, to the daring Chalazode frog dad to Mynah who educates her parents about invasive fish species - the ATREE team has worked with Tinkle to bring out the comics in the catchiest formats for children. Even the most popular Shikari Shambu makes cameo appearances, sometimes taking children out on safari, other times being schooled by a bee!