Why Science Needs Stories

Storytelling as a Superpower 

Science advances through data, but its influence depends on communication. As Yuval Noah Harari has argued, “Storytelling is our superpower”. Humans are unique in that “we are the only species with the ability to use language—not just to describe things we can see, taste, and touch, but also to invent stories about things that don’t exist” [1]. This ability to create shared narratives is the foundation of culture, cooperation, and progress. 

Science is no exception. A dataset may contain truth, but without a story to carry it, that truth often remains unseen. As noted in a British Science Association blog, our technologies—from AI to quantum computing to brain prosthetics—are advancing faster than public understanding [2]. Storytelling is the bridge that connects cutting-edge discovery to society’s collective imagination. Without it, science risks speaking only to itself. 

From Galileo to Today: A Tradition of Storytelling 

Storytelling has always been part of science’s history. Galileo framed his defense of heliocentrism as a dialogue between fictional characters, making radical ideas easier to digest. Darwin’s Voyage of the Beagle captivated the public not because it was filled with data, but because it was communicated as an adventure of discovery. Nobel Prize–winning physicist Richard Feynman is remembered as much for his colorful anecdotes—from safecracking at Los Alamos to playing the bongos—as for his groundbreaking work in quantum theory. 

These examples remind us that stories are not a distraction from science; they are the vehicles that carry science beyond the lab [3]. 

Why Our Brains Prefer Stories 

Modern neuroscience helps explain why stories work. Research shows that metaphors activate sensory areas of the brain—taste, touch, smell—rather than only language centers. Narrative speech produces “brain-to-brain coupling,” where the storyteller’s and listener’s neural patterns align. Moreover, through “narrative transportation,” listeners are mentally immersed in a story’s world, making them more open to new ideas and more likely to remember them [4]. 

Research also shows that storytelling's power comes not only from the presence of a narrative but also from the careful placement of information within its structure. When key facts are embedded at key turning points in a narrative, people both remember them better and judge them as more credible [4]. 

In short, a well-crafted story doesn’t weaken science; it makes it resonate and last. 

The Responsibility to Connect 

Scientists are trained to communicate in the detached, precise language of the scientific paper, often using technical jargon. Although this is essential for peer review, it strips away the wonder, struggle, and drama of discovery. The result is that scientists may appear competent but cold; respected for expertise, yet not fully trusted. 

However, trust matters. Most science is publicly funded, and with that comes what Jane Lubchenco once called a “social contract:” a responsibility to share knowledge with society in ways that are useful, wise, and humble [5]. This is not only about accuracy but also about empathy. Stories are the means to achieve both. 

Storytelling as a Thinking Tool 

Storytelling is not just for audiences; it also helps scientists clarify their own thinking. A neuroscientist once explained her work with a “break-up analogy,” and suddenly the concept clicked—for her as well as for her listeners [6]. Similarly, exercises like the Three Minute Thesis (3MT), where researchers condense their entire project into 180 seconds and one slide, often lead to breakthroughs in self-understanding [6]. 

This reflects the psychological power of storytelling: constructing and inhabiting a narrative not only organizes what we tell others but also clarifies our own understanding. Storytelling sharpens science from the inside out. 

Shapes of Science Stories 

The good news is that science already contains the elements of compelling stories: characters, conflict, and resolution—the hallmarks of a compelling narrative. Green and colleagues describe three common “story shapes” for science [3]: 

• Discovery: The ups and downs of research leading to an unexpected breakthrough. 

• Rescue: Science as a tool that solves an urgent problem, offering hope. 

• Mystery: A detective-like journey to uncover the unknown. 

Risk, failure, surprise, and resolution are part of every research project. The challenge is to bring these elements to the foreground—at the heart of the narrative.   

Stories as the Optimum Carrier of Information 

Cognitive science confirms what storytellers have always known: stories are the “optimum carrier” of information [4]. They tie facts to meaning, emotion, and memory. In an interview for Global Health Now, Brian W. Simpson reports that the Story Lab team emphasized stories as a way to reconnect scientists with their values and motivations. By telling personal stories, researchers are reminded why they care about their work in the first place. That authenticity builds trust and makes communication more powerful [7]. 

When science and technology become more complex than people can easily understand—which happens a lot today—stories help ensure the meaning isn’t lost. In this context, science communicators carry a vital responsibility: to help bridge the gap between researchers and the public by translating complexity into clarity without sacrificing accuracy. 

Practical Lessons for Scientists 

How can scientists begin to tell better stories? A few practices stand out: 

• Start with the “so what.” Identify your take-home message. Why does this matter? Why should anyone care? 

• Use vivid, sensory language. Let your listener feel the rain in the rainforest, hear the coral reef crackling, or see the equations come alive. 

• Shape your story. Conflict and resolution—discovery, rescue, mystery—give science its drama. 

• Test and refine. Share your story with a colleague or friend, ask for feedback, and try again. Storytelling is iterative, like science itself. 

• Balance clarity with accuracy. Always give due respect to your target audience’s intelligence. Communicate without oversimplifying. The goal is not to embellish, but to illuminate. As Carmine Gallo noted in Forbes, storytellers shape the world [8]. In science, this power should be used not to distort, but to inspire action, trust, and understanding. 

Conclusion: Science That Speaks 

Science discovers, but stories connect. From Harari’s insight that storytelling made human civilization possible [1], to neuroscience showing that stories synchronize our brains [4], to calls from leading communicators who stress the urgency of narrative in science [2,3], the message is clear: storytelling is not optional—it is essential. 

Science shows us the world as it is; stories show us why it matters. Together, they transform knowledge into meaning, and meaning into action. In the end, science does not need stories to cover its weakness—it needs them to unleash its strength. Data can reveal what is true, but only stories make truth matter. And when truth matters, the world has the power to change. 

References 

[1] Harari YN: Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind. Harper; 2015. 

[2] Malmgren P: Why Science Needs Storytellers. (2022). https://www.britishscienceassociation.org/blog/why-science-needs-storytellers 

[3] Green SJ, Grorud-Colvert K, Mannix, H: Uniting Science and Stories: Perspectives on the Value of Storytelling for Communicating Science. Facets. 2018, 3:164-173. 10.1139/facets-2016-0079 

[4] Dahlstrom MF: The Role of Causality in Information Acceptance in Narratives: An Example from Science Communication. Communication Research. 2010, 37:857-875. 10.1177/0093650210362683 

[5] Lubchenco J: Entering the Century of the Environment: A New Social Contract for Science. Science. 1998, 279:491-497. 10.1126/science.279.5350.491  

[6] Chettiar PS: Say It Simply, See It Clearly: The Scientist’s Case for Storytelling. (2025). https://scicomm.plos.org/2025/04/08/say-it-simply-see-it-clearly-the-scientists-case-for-storytelling/  

[7] Simpson BW: Science Needs Storytelling: Q&A with the Story Lab Team. (2023). https://globalhealthnow.org/2023-04/science-needs-storytelling-qa-story-lab-team 

[8] Gallo C: The Power of Storytellers to Shape Our World. (2024). https://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2024/03/17/the-power-of-storytellers-to-shape-our-world/