April marks a meaningful milestone for e-estidotmy. On 7 April 2021, the platform was launched in its digital form. Five years on, it continues to grow as a space dedicated to science communication and public understanding. Yet the origins of this effort go further back.
Between 2002 and 2012, estidotmy was published as a monthly insert in Utusan Malaysia, appearing on the last Wednesday of each month. At that time, the aim was clear: to bring science closer to the public through accessible writing and relevant issues.
Across these two phases, print and digital, the core intention has remained consistent: to build understanding. However, the context in which this work takes place has changed significantly.
Today, information is more accessible than ever. Scientific topics circulate widely across media, platforms and everyday conversations. Public attention to science and technology is broad and, in many cases, strong, especially on issues that directly affect daily life.
Environmental pollution, climate change, health and well-being, sustainable communities, and water and food security continue to attract significant public interest. These are immediate, lived and consequential. However, alongside this strong interest, a more complex pattern emerges.
Public knowledge does not always develop at the same depth. While familiarity is relatively high in areas such as health, biodiversity, environmental issues, and climate change, significant gaps remain in fields such as nuclear technology, cybersecurity, space exploration, recent scientific developments, and emerging innovations.
This contrast points to a structural challenge. Science is encountered widely, but not always understood systematically. Facts are recognised, yet often remain disconnected. Concepts are familiar, but not consistently applied.
As a result, the ability to evaluate, compare and make informed judgments remains limited. This gap reflects a broader challenge in how understanding is developed.
Across two decades of engagement, this observation invites reflection. If science communication has succeeded in attracting attention, has it equally succeeded in developing a deeper understanding? More importantly, has it supported the formation of informed judgment?
These questions shape how e-estidotmy continues its work.
Our role is not only to present information but also to connect ideas, clarify reasoning, and make visible how scientific conclusions are formed. This includes explaining processes, highlighting assumptions and acknowledging uncertainty.
Understanding, in this sense, is not an endpoint. It is a foundation for judgment.
Judgement is increasingly essential in a world shaped by science and technology. It enables individuals to weigh evidence and make decisions in situations where certainty is not guaranteed.
For students, this means moving beyond memorisation towards interpretation and evaluation. For teachers, it means guiding learners through questions that require reasoning rather than mere recall. For society, it means strengthening the capacity to engage with complex issues without being reduced to simplified narratives.
In this context, the next phase of e-estidotmy becomes clearer.
The task ahead is not to generate more interest in science. Interest already exists. The task is to transform that interest into a structured understanding and, from there, into an informed judgement.
As we mark five years of the digital platform and reflect on more than two decades of engagement, this commitment remains.
Understanding is a public good.
But in today’s world, true understanding is measured by the ability to make informed judgments. e-estidotmy nurtures that understanding where it matters most.
Sincerely,
Associate Professor ChM Dr Mohd Bakri Bakar
Chief Editor
Academy of Sciences Malaysia
