What can we learn from comic scientists and clowns about science? How can we understand the public image of science through humour?

Science and Comic Performance / Science and Humour

The lab coat-wearing scientist with the typical Einstein hairstyle, squinting behind thick glasses, and the mad scientist incubating evil in his Bunsen burners are among the most iconic figures associated with science in our popular imagination. However, if we look a little deeper into the worlds of popular entertainment and popular culture, the spectrum of science characters is much broader and includes all kinds of weird and wonderful, quirky, wacky and clownish science protagonists. So it turns out that violent clowns and mad scientists have a lot in common in culture, that lab work and slapstick can be closely related, and that comic Frankensteining is a way of embracing, taming and reinforcing our science-related uncertainties and desires.

Popsiculist Anna-Sophie researches and publishes in this area. Get in touch with her if you want to learn more and do a project in this space!

What exactly do our students do in this space? Our students explore how humour (and what kind of humour) shapes and drives cultural representations of science and scientist characters – and thus the image of science in our popular imagination. In creative projects, our students also explore humour as a science communication tool and strategy. Here is one example:

Healthy Humour – Humorous COVID-19 clips created by CPAS student Eliza Martin in all ACT schools

The series “Healthy Humour” – five humorous COVID-19 information clips created by science communication student Eliza Martin – has been shared with all ACT schools in 2022. Eliza’s witty icon-based video campaign informs children, parents, educators and carers about COVID hygiene and best pandemic behaviour using funny analogies, for example when comparing viruses to villains in pop culture.

Eliza’s creative approach to using humour to promote and enhance science-based understanding and social engagement with COVID is not only a stunning expression of creative science communication, but also turns cultural ideas of science into a delightful public good.