Evolucija, smrt, život i dugovječnost: znanost, službe za odnose s javnošću i mediji
Evolution, Death, Life and Immortality: Science, Public Relations and the Media

Summary/Abstract: This paper presents two case studies of the science – public relations (PR) – media relationship: the discovery of the mechanism of reassembly of DNA in bacteria Deinococcus radiodurans and the novel approach to the investigation of evolutionary changes – the so-called genomic phylostratigraphy. Based on the assessment of the flow of scientific information from the scientific institute (In this case, Ruđer Bošković Institute, the biggest Croatian institute) we indicate that communication strategies of the Institute’s PR and the media reporting of the discoveries lead to unrealistic expectations in terms of human health and life expectancies, and offer a promotional rather than a fair and realistic image of science. A possible explanation is that in the emerging competitiveness of research on the national as well as international level, science seeks legitimization in the media and tends to improve its public image. In this attempt the science – PR – media relationship is based on two main tools in creating public representations of science: metaphor and hype.

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