Geosciences can change thinking and practice in the world—if society can understand what we are saying. Effective science communication does not always have to be serious. Humor and creativity can make scientific ideas more engaging, accessible, and memorable. This hands-on short course will explore how humor can be used in geoscience communication: what makes something funny, when a joke helps an idea land versus when it merely makes the scientist regret having a social media account.

The course will begin with some context and examples, including short sketches or other pieces prepared in advance by participants who have signed up (see link below) and been invited by the course organizers, in all our wisdom. Participants will then work individually or in groups to develop and test their own material, using geoscience topics and, where useful, material from Geoscience Communication and other EGU journals. Approximately 20 minutes will be reserved for pre-prepared performances or other participant contributions, leaving substantial time for spontaneous contributions from those who arrive without anything prepared. No previous experience in science communication, comedy, art, or performance is required—although a willingness to look slightly ridiculous may be useful. We will finish by reflecting on what worked, what did not, and what we might learn from communicating geoscience in ways that are considerably less serious than usual.

The short course is part of a rotating, Geoscience Communication Editors-led format at EGU, with each edition exploring a different creative approach to communicating geoscience. This time the theme is humor; editions in future years could explore poetry, games, visual art, performance, or other ways of communicating science without putting the audience to sleep.

Those interested in participating can sign up here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=S1xNYsVFIkGM0ETw-E6UXWU_sittJCZPkwvEOEUP1xBUMUgwUzlaOU1QWk0wWFVCRUEzNVVaWk5WWS4u

The short form will help us gauge interest in different humor formats (e.g., comic strips, digital art, sketches, science slams, or stand-up comedy) and identify participants interested in preparing material in advance, allowing us to tailor the short course accordingly.