Animation as a visual bridge between science and society

Scientific knowledge has always depended on images, especially when it addresses phenomena that escape direct sensory perception. This introduction sketches the privileged yet problematic role of animation in figuring the “invisible” within contemporary science communication, pointing out some connected epistemological and ethical questions. In fact, the increasing visual coherence, realism, and interactivity of animated models can obscure the constructed nature of scientific models, encouraging audiences to read them as direct depictions rather than as mediated arguments. The present special issue of Mutual Images Journal is related to the Marie Skłodowska-Curie project FICTA SciO – Figuring the Invisible (2023–2025), which investigated conventions and tactics of animation for science outreach while advocating transparency as a core communicative value. The introduction outlines the conceptual stakes of the project and presents the seven contributions as complementary inquiries into how animation shapes scientific understanding, visibility, and public trust within contemporary visual culture.