Are you JOKING??? Humor in science communication research and practice

Abstract: Scientists have long incorporated humor into their communication, whether it be in informal presentations or peer-reviewed journal articles. Though it seems evident that humor could make stodgy scientific writing more engaging and fun, where is the scientific evidence that it actually empowers science communication? In this session we will discuss research on the use of humor in scientific publications, talk about the implications and caveats of humor use, discuss examples of such use, and share experience into the benefits of using humor in scientific communication.