Fighting Misinformation with One Good Post at a Time

The Slight Edge of Science Communication: How small, consistent actions can still move the needle in a world that often feels broken

Aug 27, 2025

Many scientists feel invisible right now.

Budgets are shrinking. Science is politicized. Misinformation spreads faster than peer-reviewed facts. It’s easy to feel like your voice doesn’t matter or that no one is listening.

But that’s only one side of the story.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson, it’s this: big change rarely starts with a big moment. It starts with a small action, done again and again, long after it stops being exciting.

And science communication is no different.

Let’s talk about how we can use The Slight Edge to stay motivated, stay visible, and keep making an impact even when it feels like the world is slipping backward.

1. Forget Going Viral: Focus on Showing Up

Olson’s premise is simple: every day, you face a choice. Do the small thing that moves you forward, or don’t. The thing is easy to do, and just as easy not to do.

Writing one LinkedIn post.

Answering one question from a confused student.

Sharing one clear, well-written explanation of your research.

Each of these actions might feel like it won’t make a difference. But over time, they add up. That’s the slight edge. You’re not aiming for fireworks. You’re building momentum through consistency.

2. In a World of Noise, Consistency Builds Trust

We live in a world where misinformation thrives because it’s loud, persistent, and everywhere.

Science often responds with silence or one-off corrections that disappear as quickly as they appear.

But what if we flipped that?

What if you were the one showing up regularly in someone’s feed with clear, thoughtful, calm posts about your field?

What if you became the person people trust, not because you have all the answers, but because you keep showing up when they have questions?

Trust doesn’t come from one brilliant post. It comes from dozens of small ones. It comes from consistency.

And consistency is a choice.

3. Purpose Beats Motivation Every Time

Here’s the thing no one tells you: You won’t always feel like doing it.

You won’t always feel like writing. Or speaking up. Or sharing a post when it feels like no one cares.

But The Slight Edge reminds us: motivation is fleeting. What matters is having a reason bigger than your feelings.

For many of us, that reason is simple: we believe science should serve society.

That belief is enough to guide us through the days when we’d rather stay quiet.

You don’t need a platform. You need a purpose and the guts to show up with it.

4. Most People Quit Before the Compounding Kicks In

Here’s the hard truth: most scientists give up on communication too early.

They post for a month, then stop when it doesn’t “work.”

They share a blog, then get discouraged when it doesn’t go viral.

But impact isn’t instant.

Just like with research, your public impact compounds over time. The more you explain your work, the clearer your own thinking becomes. The more you connect with others, the more opportunities open up. You grow, and so does your audience.

The magic always happens later than you think. It always takes longer than you think. But it happens.

5. Your Small Efforts Matter, Even Now

Yes, we’re in a tough moment. Science funding is on the chopping block. Algorithms reward outrage. Longform thinking gets buried under clickbait.

But that doesn’t mean we’re powerless.

Because The Slight Edge reminds us: you don’t need the system to change before you act. You need to keep doing the small things that make sense, especially when no one is watching.

It’s those invisible actions that lay the groundwork for visible change.

6. Visibility is Your Leverage

Here’s something most scientists underestimate: your visibility is an asset.

Not for ego. But for impact.

The more people see your work, the more your findings can shape decisions. The more your face and voice are associated with your field, the more likely others are to turn to you when it matters.

You don’t need to be everywhere. You just need to be somewhere: regularly, consistently, and thoughtfully.

7. The Slight Edge is How We Win: Slowly, But Surely

We may not win the information war overnight. But we can win over time.

Not by being louder.

But by being clearer. More consistent. More human.

By showing up with honest, accessible science, even when it’s inconvenient.

Especially when it’s inconvenient.

What can you do This Month?

🟡 Choose one small thing you’ll do every day this week to show up.

🟡 Make it so small that you can’t fail.

🟡 Keep track: see what changes by September 27.

Some ideas:

Answer one common question from your field in a tweet or post.
Share one behind-the-scenes photo of your research or fieldwork.
Comment on someone else’s science post with insight or encouragement.

Tiny actions. Big ripple effects.

Final Thought

The world might feel loud and chaotic. But your impact doesn’t depend on noise; it depends on clarity, trust, and showing up when it counts.

That’s the Slight Edge.

And it’s ours to use.

See you next week,

— Sílvia Pienda-Munoz, PhD — Climate Ages’ Outreach Lab

P.S. One last note: I’m opening the first Outreach Lab cohort in mid-September.

It’s a program designed to help you build a profitable and scalable Science Newslettter that attracts collaborations, brings funding, and increases your impact as a scientist.

If that sounds like something you’d like to be part of, you can join the waitlist here.

There will be only 20 spots in the first cohort, and spots will fill quickly.