Hans Rosling could bring subjects to life and shine light on complex issues

Swedish academic Hans Rosling, who died recently, was a skilled communicator who managed to bring subjects to life and shine light on complex issues, writes Kyran Fitzgerald

A leading Irish business editor was fond of saying that he was in the ‘info-tainment’ business. That person had an instinctive understanding of the media ratings game.

The Swedish academic and broadcaster, Hans Rosling, who died recently, went one better. He was a self-described ‘edu-tainer’, his path to fame paved by a much heralded ‘TED’ talk he gave just over a decade ago.