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Einstein Versus Neutrinos: The Two Cultures Revisited With the Media Coverage of a Scientific News Item in Cartoons

Science Communication: Linking Theory and Practice

Published online on

Abstract

This article focuses on the news coverage given to the CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) announcement that neutrinos might exceed the speed of light, flying in the face of Albert Einstein’s theory. By studying 140 cartoons about the news item published between the CERN’s announcement at the end of September 2011 up until its refutation in February 2012, we selected 33 devoted to Albert Einstein. We study the iconographic use of Einstein’s figure, and how the suggestion he might have been wrong stirred up greater interest among the cartoonists than when it was proven his ideas are still fully in force.