Social media and its embedded user commentary are playing increasingly influential roles in the news process. However, researchers' understanding of the social media commenting environment remains limited, despite rising concerns over uncivil comments. Accordingly, this study used a supervised machine learning-based method of content analysis to examine the extent and patterns of incivility in the comment sections of 42 US news outlets' Facebook pages over an 18-month period in 2015-2016. These outlets were selected as being broadly representative of national, local, conservative, and liberalnews media. The findings provide the first empirical evidence that both the level and the targets of incivility in the comments posted on news outlets' Facebook pages vary greatly according to such entities' general type and ideological stance.

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Due to changes in the media landscape, the vast majority of the public now depends on a mix of media formats for science news. This study analyzes audiences' repertoires of science media consumption, and the effect of these consumption patterns on public understanding of science. We also profile those who rely on a mix of online-only sources and traditional media for science news. Our findings indicate that primarily relying on online-only sources is positively associated with a higher understanding of science, even when pertaining to respondents' level of education and scientific training in the past.

Public communication about science faces novel challenges, including the increasing complexity of research areas and the erosion of traditional journalistic infrastructures. Although scientists have traditionally been reluctant to engage in public communication at the expense of focusing on academic productivity, our survey of highly cited U.S. nano-scientists, paired with data on their social media use, shows that public communication, such as interactions with reporters and being mentioned on Twitter, can contribute to a scholar's scientific impact. Most importantly, being mentioned on Twitter amplifies the effect of interactions with journalists and other non-scientists on the scholar's scientific impact.