User:Daniel Mietchen/Talks/Messel 2025

On 8-12 December 2025, the Messel 2025 conference is taking place at the Naturmuseum Senckenberg in Frankfurt/Main, Germany under the theme "The World at the Time of Messel: Back to the Future?".

I have submitted a proposal for an oral presentation. Title: "Connecting Paleosciences And Society: How Wikimedia Platforms Facilitate Global Engagement With The Messel Pit’s Scientific Dimensions"

Abstract: As we commemorate the anniversaries of the Messel Pit’s scientific discovery, systematic excavation, and UNESCO World Heritage designation, this talk examines how digital knowledge-sharing platforms - particularly Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, and Wikidata - shape public understanding of this unparalleled fossil site. These open-access resources serve as critical bridges between scientific research and global audiences, transcending language barriers, disciplinary silos, and geographic limitations. Through detailed case studies and building on experiences with both paleontological research^[1] and partnerships between Wikimedia and expert communities^[2], we explore how Wikimedia projects document Messel-related topics across the conference’s seven key themes. We assess the strengths of current coverage - such as Wikipedia articles in dozens of languages, richly annotated entries in the Wikidata knowledge graph, and detailed illustrations on Wikimedia Commons - while identifying gaps, including uneven representation of non-English content, inconsistencies in technical accuracy, and underutilized opportunities for expert collaboration. A central focus is the dynamic interplay between academic specialists and the Wikimedia community in curating reliable, up-to-date content. We highlight successful partnerships, such as museum-led edit-a-thons and researcher contributions to Wikidata, and propose scalable strategies to further enrich these platforms. By fostering stronger ties between paleontologists, cultural heritage institutions, and open-knowledge communities, the Messel Pit’s scientific dimensions can reach broader audiences, help inspire future research, and remain an enduring resource for education and public engagement.

Keywords: science communication, science education, expert-public collaboration, digital public sphere, knowledge dissemination

References:

1. Daniel Mietchen; M. Aberhan; Bertram Manz; O. Hampe; B. Mohr; C. Neumann; Frank Volke (23 January 2008). "Three-dimensional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of fossils across taxa". Biogeosciences. 5 (1): 25–41. doi:10.5194/BG-5-25-2008. ISSN 1726-4170. Wikidata Q22064334.
2. Daniel Mietchen; Lane Rasberry; Thais Morata; John Sadowski; Jeanette Novakovich; James Heilman (16 June 2021). "Developing a scalable framework for partnerships between health agencies and the Wikimedia ecosystem". Research Ideas and Outcomes. 7. doi:10.3897/RIO.7.E68121. ISSN 2367-7163. PMID 39421138. Wikidata Q107265521.