Researchers from the University of Georgia set out to test how humor affects the way scientists are perceived on the internet. They created a profile for a professor named Dr. Jamie Devon and filled it with posts about drones and AI. Some of the messages were serious—kept formal and scientific. Others used humor.
The study involved 2,200 participants, who said that a scientist with a sense of humor is great. They wanted to listen to him, felt he could be trusted, and generally wanted him to share more. The approach that worked best was friendly humor with a touch of irony. Meanwhile, sharp or aggressive jokes had the opposite effect and discouraged people.
In an era of an enormous information flow, science needs not only facts, but also good delivery. If in the past scientific articles were hidden in serious journals behind paywalls, now they have a path through Twitter and TikTok.
So it may not be surprising if, in a couple of years, school students learn physics through memes. The key point is that the formulas should add up, and the jokes should not become outdated faster than the underlying discoveries.
