What Can Social Media Tell Us About Insect Trends?

Why are insects declining — and what can social media teach us about biodiversity? Entomologist Dr Shawan Chowdhury talks with host Volker Hahn about his research on insect conservation and protected areas, the striking lack of data from tropical regions, and how Facebook, iNaturalist and other platforms can help fill these gaps. Shawan also shares how he uses social media not only as a scientific tool, but as a bridge between research and the public — and why communicating science across cultures matters as much as doing it.

Shawan Chowdhury’s lab website: https://shawanchowdhurylab.com/

“Protected areas and the future of insect conservation” (discussed in this episode): https://www.cell.com/trends/ecology-evolution/fulltext/S0169-5347(22)00224-5

“Three-quarters of insect species are insufficiently represented by protected areas” (discussed in this episode): https://www.cell.com/one-earth/fulltext/S2590-3322(22)00631-5

Shawan on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Shawan-Chowdhury-Lab-61576000974986/

Shawan on X: https://x.com/shawan_c

Shawan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawan-chowdhury/

Shawan on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/shawan-chowdhury.bsky.social