Can Science Be Witty?

Dr. Marc-Denis Weitze is head of the thematic area of technology communication at the office of the German Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech) in Munich. He teaches as a private lecturer for science communication at the TU Munich and is working on a career as a science cabaret artist. Wolfgang Chr. Goede is a political scientist and communications expert and works as an international science journalist as well as an author, lecturer and facilitator on the scientific and technological hot topics of our time. Wolfgang M. Heckl is Professor of Experimental Physics and conducts research in the field of nanoscience and science communication. He is General Director of the Deutsches Museum and holds the Oskar von Miller Chair for Science Communication at the TU Munich School of Education.

Foreword.- 1 Getting started.- 2 Science slam about sheep's cheese and car tyres.- 3 Laughter tears down walls.- 4 "Die Anstalt" as an example of criticism, satire and humour in science communication.- 5 A love song.- 6 The paradigm disease: An almost incurable scientific epidemic.7 Scientists, magicians and charlatans - How magic creates knowledge.8 Searching for humour in the Deutsches Museum - An exploration.9 From Big Bang to Big Van.10 If a dalmatian comes to the cash desk.11 Derblecken bei acatech - A humorous joke at acatech. 11 Derblecken bei acatech.- 12 Wit and lightness in science - the international perspective.- 13 "You don't understand science anyway!"- 14 Distance, please!- 15 Serving suggestion for the Holy Spirit.- 16 Dictatorship of stupidity.- 17Anecdotes from my physics lessons.- 18 Humour in knowledge transfer - Academic basics with workshop report.- 19 Georg Christoph Lichtenberg: An early pioneer of funny science.- 20 Can the Anthropocene be funny? A science comic.- 21 Science cabaret: a script.- 22 Done. Now what?!

"Can Science be Witty? is one of the most enjoyable books I've read in many a moon. Its clichéd lack of academic self-awareness, lamentable English and spindly humour mean that the book inadvertently provides a positive answer to the question of its title. Oscar Wilde must be turning in his grave." (The Bay Magazine, theswanseabay.co.uk, May, 2023)

“Can Science be Witty? is one of the most enjoyable books I’ve read in many a moon. Its clichéd lack of academic self-awareness, lamentable English and spindly humour mean that the book inadvertently provides a positive answer to the question of its title. Oscar Wilde must be turning in his grave.” (The Bay Magazine, theswanseabay.co.uk, May, 2023)