The article rediscovers and explores Miguel Ozorio de Almeida's important role in the realm of scientific dissemination in Brazil. This little-known facet of his activities has not received the attention it deserves in studies on the history of science in Brazil. Throughout his career, the physiologist gave public conferences and published a number of educational texts, many of which are included in the books Homens e coisas de ciência; Ensaios, críticas e perfis; and A vulgarização do saber. The latter is perhaps the first Brazilian book offering a more systematic discussion of the practice of scientific dissemination, along with its advantages and limitations. Miguel Ozorio also wrote Almas sem abrigo (1933), a novel about the life of a mathematician in Brazil, and, in collaboration with Humberto Mauro, he directed the educational film Fisiologia Geral (1938).
scientific dissemination; history of scientific dissemination; science and the public; science and society