From Science to Story: Communicating Permafrost Concepts with Data Comics

We are creating data comics that use graphics, narratives and visualization to explain permafrost and its interaction with climate
change. Despite the increasing attention to permafrost change due to its local impacts and interactions with global climate, many
people without scientific background or lived experience related to permafrost do not understand what permafrost is or why it is
important. This knowledge gap reduces public consideration and risk perception. We are exploring new ways to present this
information to a wider audience, including policymakers, scientists from other fields, school teachers, and the general public. A
major communication challenge we face is that many scientific articles are not easily comprehensible and understanding
concepts such as permafrost thaw and its effect on land use and infrastructure can be challenging. To address this challenge,
we are developing new ideas in creating data comics, a new format that integrates data visualization and storytelling to deliver
insights from data in a new format. We are exploring the use of relatable examples and analogies to make scientific information
more comprehensible to the public. We are creating data comics collaboratively with experts in data visualization, narrative
construction, data comics, and permafrost science. The data comics are designed to be both scientifically informed and verified,
using the best and most current scientific information available. We prioritize data transparency, working towards more
understandable and engaging presentations of scientific concepts.