Connecting Humor and Science: A Force for Change?

Although sometimes science is thought to be humorless, scientists enjoy poking fun at each other and the absurdities in science. For example, Dopeia was a humor and satire of science publication produced by members of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists that poked fun at journals, scientists, and scholarly publishing. Other examples of humor and satire in science include Journal of Irreproducible Results, Annals of Improbably Research, and the Ig Nobel Prizes. In today’s world of science communication and popular culture, humor can use used to inspire activism and provide a catalyst for public engagement. This presentation looks at the use of humor and satire to promote and influence the discussion about scientific topics such as climate change.