With the rapid development of artificial intelligence, particularly generative AI, AI literacy is regarded as an essential competency for individuals and society. This research systematically organizes domestic and international literature and, through content analysis, addresses core issues in this field, including conceptual definitions, research approaches, developmental trajectories, core content, methodological theories and evaluation systems. The essence of artificial intelligence literacy has evolved into a multidimensional structure that encompasses knowledge, skills, mindset, attitudes and ethics. Three dominant research approaches are identified: the interdisciplinary-integration-oriented approach, the social-function-oriented approach, and the measurement-and-evaluation-oriented approach. Existing research has covered implementation strategies for multiple groups, the role of institutions such as libraries, and disparity studies. Both domestic and international competency frameworks are constructed around the “knowledge-skills-attitudes”, yet significant differences exist in group-specific and cultural perspectives. Current research faces several limitations, including inadequate validation of assessment tools, difficulty balancing generalizability and specificity, the knowledge-action gap stemming from reliance on self-report scales, lack of longitudinal and dynamic studies, andscarcity of cross-cultural applicability testing. Future studies should strengthen longitudinal research and measurement method innovation, prioritize developing culturally responsive frameworks, and address equity issues in literacy education.

Based on 1 445 papers published in Studies on Science Popularization from 2006 to 2026, this study systematically analyzes its development and evolution using bibliometric and comparative methods. The results indicate that the journal’s academic influence has steadily increased. Its researchthemes have evolved through four phases: initial foundation, transformation and expansion, integrated deepening, and frontier leadership. Research methods have shifted from early empirical summaries and theoretical speculation to a balanced integration of qualitative, quantitative and multi-method approaches. Theoretical applications draw extensively from communication studies, sociology, management, and other disciplines. Over the past two decades, the journal has contributed significantly to academic guidance, talent cultivation and policy support for science popularization. For future development, it should further advance basic research, expand interdisciplinary frontiers, enhance practical relevance and strengthen talent development, so as to build itself into a top academic journal.

University science popularization constitutes a vital force within the national science popularization system and plays a significant role in advancing high-level scientific and technological self-reliance. Addressing the persistent disjunction between knowledge dissemination and spiritual guidance—a “two separate layers” phenomenon in university science popularization—this study adopts the perspective of practice-embedded science popularization and takes the “How Steel Is Made” thematic science popularization project at the National Key Laboratory of Advanced Refractories as a case. Employing a mixed-methods approach that combines design-based research with an embedded case study, this paper constructs a three-layer mapping framework of “material process—cognitive process—spiritual imagery”. Through three rounds of iterative refinement, the project crystallized into three signature practice segments: “The Quenching of Failure, ”“The Exploration of the Micro World, ” and “The Team Crucible.” The findings reveal that the practice-embedded science popularization mechanism, pivoting on the role configuration of participants as “junior researchers, ” embeds participants into authentic scientific research processes, thereby achieving the demystification of the scientist image at the material process layer, the contextualized transformation of spiritual qualities at the cognitive process layer, and the meaning construction of value schemas at the spiritual imagery layer. Through the vertical integration of these three mechanisms, the model effectively realizes the deep coupling of knowledge popularization and spiritual internalization, offering a replicable implementation model for universities to conduct high-level science popularization and spiritual cultivation grounded in their disciplinary characteristics.

Science education is a strategic cornerstone that supports scientific and technological innovation and the building of a strong country. Discovering trends and summarizing experiences from the development process of science education research has academic value and practical significance for promoting the high-quality development of science education and better serving the strategic needs of the country. A bibliometric analysis of high-quality scientific education research on China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) from 2006 to 2026 was conducted using Citespace, presenting the overall research landscape and conducting a more in-depth review analysis of the development trend in combination with the literature. Research findings show that over the past two decades, domestic science education research has undergone a practical shift from discipline-based to interdisciplinary integration, from individual cognition to social practice, from a single paradigm to multiple norms, and from international experience to localized exploration. But there are still deficiencies, such as weak empirical research and insufficient cross-disciplinary cooperation. Four prospects for domestic science education research in the future are proposed: continuously improve the construction of the science education system; strengthen situational practice and literacy-oriented evidence-based research; enhance cross-disciplinary collaborative cooperation; accelerate the exploration of new domains and new qualities to empower science education.

Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, science popularization policy has formed a relatively comprehensive system in China. The policy-making subjects cover national and local governments at all levels as well as industry departments, providing multi-level institutional support for science popularization work and effectively promoting the leapfrog development of the science popularization cause. With the continuous improvement of the science popularization policy system, academic research on science popularization policies has become more abundant and diverse, forming a systematic research framework and practical influence on the formulation of science popularization policies and the development of the science popularization cause. This paper comprehensively reviews the evolution and research progress of China’s science popularization policies, and looks forward to future development trends, to provide references for further optimizing science popularization policies and enhancing the efficiency of science popularization work.

To strengthen the national capacity for science popularization and further implement the initiative to enhance the scientific literacy of all citizens, the China Association for Science and Technology conducted the 15th national civic scientific literacy sample survey in 2025. The survey results show that by 2025, the proportion of Chinese citizens with scientific literacy has reached 16.74%, reflecting an accelerating improvement trend in civic scientific literacy throughout the “14th Five-Year Plan” period. The imbalance in the development of scientific literacy among different regions and groups has been greatly alleviated. The scientific literacy of key groups has been comprehensively enhanced, and the quality of scientific literacy development has continued to improve. The structure of citizens’ scientific literacy has been continuously optimized, with nearly half of the population basically possessing scientific literacy. The Internet has significant advantages as the primary channel for citizens to obtain scientific and technological information. The willingness of citizens to visit science and technology venues and the positive outcomes of their visits are both at a relatively high level. Citizens’ recognition of the value of scientific and technological innovation has steadily increased, and they have higher expectations for the social responsibilities shouldered by scientists. Citizens maintain a high level of attention and enthusiasm for participating in cutting-edge technologies, laying a solid mass foundation for fostering an innovative culture and accelerating sci-tech self-reliance. Citizens’ awareness of artificial intelligence is gradually improving, and the social acceptance of artificial intelligence is increasing. The survey results over the years have provided important data for the scientific setting of policy development goals such as the implementation plan of the “15th Five-Year Plan” for improving the scientific literacy of all citizens, and have contributed to consolidating the human resource foundation for the development of new quality productive forces and thereby serving to build China into a world leader in science and technology.

Stimulating the curiosity of adolescents is an important goal of the design of exhibits in science and technology museums, but evaluation of curiosity level of exhibits lacks quantitative monitoring methods. Research about curiosity in psychology is introduced into the field of visitor research in science and technology museums. Student groups from grade 5 to the first year of junior high school (aged 10 to 13) are taken as participants. Smartwatches are used to monitor their emotional indices while visiting. Combined with subjective scales, it has been verified that emotional indices can be used to predict the level of curiosity of participants. On this basis, 15 exhibits showing basic science are selected from China Science and Technology Museum. The display mode of the exhibits is analyzed according to six dimensions, such as subject areas and display forms. Non-parametric tests are employed to analyze the differences in curiosity stimulation among participants of different genders and the relationship between display mode and curiosity of participants aroused by exhibits, identifying the display mode that more effectively arouses curiosity. Finally, suggestions for the design of exhibits are put forward: Enhance exhibits’ appeal to girls. Improve the interactive methods of exhibits to provide more conditions for participants to explore, observe and think independently. Further improve the multimedia presentation methods and explore more immersive and interactive multimedia display means.

To develop new-quality productive forces serves as both an inherent requirement and a critical lever for promoting high-quality agricultural development, among which the coordination between digital transformation and ecologization constitutes a key pathway. Focusing on rural science and technology commissioners as the key role, this research systematically explored the profound changes taking place in agricultural science popularization under the background of the digital-ecological collaboration. The research found that the role of science and technology commissioners was expanding from a single technology disseminator to a constructor and guide of digital-ecological systems, an incubator of new business forms and models, as well as a disseminator of sustainable development concepts. However, in practice, they still faced core challenges in technology promotion, including the digital divide, insufficient technological adaptability, data barriers and difficulties in value conversion. Based on this, a ternary interactive analytical framework of “digitalization-ecologization-science popularization (D-E-P) ”, proposing that the effective coordination between digitalization (D) and ecologization (E) must be achieved through the process of science popularization (P) led by science and technology commissioners, and based on a comparative analysis of two cases, the "Smart Edible Fungi" project in Gutian, Fujian, and the “Digital Cultural Tourism Tea Gardens” project in Anji, Zhejiang, namely that science and technology commissioners have been systematically reshaped into constructors and guides of digital-ecological systems, incubators of new business forms, and disseminators of sustainable development concepts. The case evidence revealed two collaborative paths: the “D→P→E” empowerment transmission path and the “E→P→D” value-guiding path, and indicated that the aforementioned challenges present differentiated characteristics under different paths. Accordingly, three policy suggestions are proposed, including constructing a hierarchical and classified science popularization support system, implementing a capacity enhancement plan for science and technology commissioners, and establishing targeted incentives mechanisms, so as to break through the core bottlenecks and provide theoretical and policy references for cultivating new-quality agricultural productive forces.

Job burnout is a central issue in contemporary occupational research. However, existing studies have paid little attention to the burnout levels and influencing factors specific to science-communication educators. This study employed a convenience sampling method using electronic questionnaires to collect data from 115 science-communication educators across 15 natural history museums in China. It investigates the overall burnout level within this group, characteristics of group differences, and associated influencing factors. The findings indicate that science-communication educators in natural history museums experience significant job burnout. Notably, higher levels of burnout were observed among educators working in first-class museums, those with permanent institutional positions (“bianzhi nei”), males, individuals aged 31~40, those holding intermediate professional titles, and those with a monthly income exceeding 10,000 RMB. Age, physical health status, perceived work pressure, and degree of social recognition were found to significantly impact their job burnout levels. Based on the empirical results, it is recommended that natural history museums implement tiered intervention strategies targeting high-pressure subgroups. These strategies should focus on optimizing work models to alleviate the educator’s physical and mental stress, enhancing social recognition to reinforce positive feedback, thereby effectively reducing burnout levels within this population.