Page 30 - BBC Wildlife Volume 36 #12

Talking

point

humour can undermine the seriousness
of the message that our planet is in trouble.
A recent blog on the website Scientific
American, by Catherine Brooks, argued
that by chasing popularity and ‘likes’
on social media, the credibility of any
scientific message is lost.
But we know that negative messaging
does not work. People are less likely to
retain information given this way, and
more likely to feel that any action they do
take is pointless. This can be countered
by adopting a more positive approach,
such as highlighting positive conservation
stories. It’s a trend strongly encouraged by
the Conservation Optimism movement,
which inspired BBC Wildlife's 'Good news!'
feature in Spring 2017. On the other hand,
too many overly positive stories might
encourage people to feel everything is okay.
Back in 2012, biologist Simon Watt
dreamed up The Ugly Animal Preservation
Society to raise awareness of some obscure
and aesthetically challenged species. It led
to an online poll, won by the blobfish, a
deep-sea fish hardly anyone had heard of
before but which then began appearing on
T-shirts and chat shows. There was even an
Ugly Animal Preservation
Society live comedy tour.

here has since
been an explosion
of science-comedy
events, where
T scientists take about communicating are seen by those people who aren’t already
to the stage to talk about their studies. “My job engaging with that topic of conservation,
their subject while making is basically to make are often those with an entertaining or
their audience laugh. The science nerds funny,” funny twist.
success of programmes such says Steve. Unexpected media interest in a
as QI on BBC Two and Bill In my own work, I’ve also Twitter hashtag that I was part of in 2017
Nye Saves the World, which streams on found humour to be a major winner. I (#DoesItFart – which encouraged scientists
Netflix, show there’s an appetite for funny, joined Twitter a few years ago, mainly to to reveal whether their study animals break
fact-based content. Science stand-up has share my research on African wild dogs wind) led to me, along with my co-author
even become a fixture at conferences. The (also known as African hunting dogs Nick Caruso, being offered a book deal for
British Ecological Society, for example, runs and painted wolves, depending on your Does It Fart? The Definitive Field Guide to
a ‘Science Slam’ at its annual meeting. preference), but my tweets with the greatest Animal Flatulence. Our book entirely rides
Dr Steve Cross, founder of Animal reach are almost inevitably humorous ones on the premise that there is an appetite for
Showoff – a stand-up event where about animals. Social-media posts that serious science presented in a humorous
zoologists talk about their research – has break out of the science ‘bubble’, and thus way. No one, least of all us, could have
found that it is a great way of attracting new predicted the extent to which it, er, blew up.
audiences to the venue, London’s Grant The BBC’s video of In June 2018, we hit the New York Times
Museum of Zoology. “What succeeds at best seller list and have sold over 50,000
Animal Showoff is attitude and opinions,” ‘pole-dancing’ bears, copies to date, with co-editions in at least
he says. “Don’t give me a cold, objective 10 languages. Our aim was to create a
look at the mating habits of zebrafish. from Planet Earth II, scientifically accurate, funny book that
Instead, tell me why you hate them and would grab people but also inspire interest
they remind you of your ex-boyfriend.” An went down a storm. in the natural world. Entice people with
added bonus is that the scientists learn a lot the toilet humour, then hit them with the

30 BBC Wildlife December 2018