TikTokWhy are blackholes the reason we have WiFi? What happens when bacteria and hand sanitiser collide? And how does grunting help improve the speed of your backhand in tennis? Australians can discover answers to these questions and more with TikTok's new, dedicated STEM feed rolling out throughout January.
Over 500 Aussie STEM creators will feature on TikTok's STEM feed, including author of 48 books Dr Karl Kruszelnicki (@drkarl), astrophysicist Dr Kirsten Banks (@astrokirsten), and microscopic interrogator Walt Carroll (@oneminmicro). They'll appear alongside more than 7,000 STEM creators from around the world, including renowned international institutions such as the American Museum of Natural History (@naturalhistorymuseum), National Geographic (@natgeo), and New Scientist magazine (@newscientist).
“Science tells us that coffee increases your life expectancy, but doesn’t work chemically in your body for the first two hours after you wake up. Science gave us penicillin which, by itself, increased life expectancy by 15 years! Science helps us better understand our daily lives and we need to elevate credible, quality, and fact-checked information," said Dr Karl. "On TikTok, I love sharing the awe and wonder of science with people. For me, one surprising change is that the average age of my audience is getting younger. The STEM feed makes it easier to find enriching, educational, videos and I'm confident it will inspire random folk to learn about subjects which are vital for Australia's future."
To help ensure the reliability of the high-quality STEM content being shared, TikTok has partnerships with independent organisations Common Sense Networks and Poynter Institute as part of a triple layer fact checking process.
After videos or accounts are identified by TikTok, the organisations assess the content to ensure that it's appropriateness of the content and the reliability of information presented before it's featured on the STEM feed. If it does not pass all three checkpoints, it will not be eligible.
"More than 8.5 million Aussies use TikTok to discover, be entertained, or learn, and our dedicated STEM feed makes it easier to find enriching, educational content on TikTok. It also gives creators and leading Australian organisations the opportunity to have their research seen around the world," said Simon Bates, Head of Content for TikTok Australia and New Zealand.
To celebrate the launch of the dedicated feed, Dr Karl, Dr Kirsten Banks, and Walt Carroll kicked off TikTok's Summer of STEM this morning at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium's recently re-opened 'Day and Night on the Reef' - a 1.7 million litre oceanarium home to over 400 creatures.
"From breeding leopard sharks and endangered White’s seahorses to the penguin ‘pebble season’, SEA LIFE Sydney prides itself on teaching people about our incredible ocean creatures. Now with our videos featured on TikTok's STEM feed, even more people from Australia, and globally, will learn about our important research and conservation efforts," said Laura Simmons, Merlin Entertainment's Head of Conservation, Welfare, and Education.
As part of the Summer of STEM, the Australian Museum (@australianmuseum) will be taking Aussies behind the scenes at the country's first museum, and its extraordinary collection of 22 million specimens and objects as well as its scientific discoveries, on TikTok LIVE throughout February.
“The Australian Museum is world famous for its incredible and immersive exhibitions and events that highlight the wonder of the world around us. What many people don’t know, however, is that behind the scenes the Museum also has a team of scientists who uncover hundreds of new species each year and conduct scientific research to better understand and respond to challenges facing our planet. Working with TikTok's STEM feed means we can share these fascinating finds in an engaging and compelling way," said Dr Jodi Rowley, Curator of Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Biology at the Australian Museum.
As summer is also bush fire season, the NSW Rural Fire Service (@nswrfs) will be the first emergency service in the world to be featured on TikTok's STEM feed, sharing the science of firefighting, the importance of hazard reduction, and how their aerial firefighting fleet operates.
"It doesn't matter if you live on the NSW coast or in western Canada, bush fires can have a devastating impact on communities worldwide. I'm proud our world-leading firefighting experts and efforts will be elevated on TikTok's STEM feed as another way we can help the community to live bush fire ready," said Commissioner of the NSW RFS, Rob Rogers.
As the STEM feed rolls out, other Australian organisations including the University of Melbourne (@unimelb) and Gilmour Space Technologies will be showcased to Australian TikTok users and the world.
"There has never been a more important time to make sure that research is discussed accurately in public forums and channels. As a University and as scientists, we welcome the rigour and transparency that TikTok has committed to ensuring the STEM feed delivers content which supports sharing factually accurate news and research, better enabling our shared understanding of the world and combatting the increased risk of mis and disinformation we see on other platforms," said Professor Todd Lane, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Melbourne.
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics content has grown by 35% on TikTok since the STEM feed launched in other markets, including the US, Canada, the UK, and most countries across Europe. 1 in 3 young people on TikTok visit the STEM feed on a weekly basis in regions where it is available.
