From the Research Lab to Open Mic Night: Comedy in Science Communication

About this episode:  

Telling a good joke is a science—it requires gathering data, thoughtful analysis, and constant experimentation to get it right. A good joke can also help us better communicate about science. In this episode: A stand-up comedian with a research background explains why comedy is a useful tool in science communication and shares tips for using humor to illustrate academic concepts.

Guest: 

Sarah Adelman, MPH, is a stand-up comic, screenwriter, and former scientist. She is also the creator, host, and executive producer of the original social media series "BLOW MY MIND."

Host: 

Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. 

Show links and related content: 

• A Scientist Walks Into a Bar…—Nautilus

• Not Just Funny After All: Sarcasm as a Catalyst for Public Engagement With Climate Change—Science Communication

• Can a Joke Make Science More Trustworthy?—Journal of Science Communication

• Specialized terminology reduces the number of citations of scientific papers—Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

• Why Do We Believe Misinformation?—Public Health On Call (December 2025)

Transcript information:

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