Lost in translation? : Ways for environmental sciences to communicate about risk and research

This editorial is an introduction to a paper series on the communication of environmental sciences and risk,developed as an idea from a session at the 6th SETAC World Congress 2012.Environmental sciences are at the heart of what people affect in their daily lives: environmental quality, safe food,clean air, fresh water - and hence crucial for sound public health. Why aren't we in their daily minds? How shouldwe communicate to get there? Communication means to convey meaningful information to create sharedunderstanding. But only a minority of scientists have knowledge about the principles of science communicationand even less than these are certainly up-to-date with modern communication concepts. The paper series “Lost intranslation? Ways for environmental sciences to communicate about risk and research” collates views andperspectives on science and risk communication from different angles to initiate a broader discussion on thecommunication about research findings in environmental sciences