Uranus is an amazing place.
The unusual atmosphere of ice giants, which is rich in methane, sporadic weather and magnetic fields, are captivating planetary scientists.
It also has a name that lends itself to making dirty jokes. You can pronounce it either urine-us-us or youranus. Both of these options open up endless possibilities to make potty humor.
NASA Data shows something is wrong with Uranus. This headline was popular last year by Futurism. Scientists also discovered that Uranus can emit gas, contain mysterious fluids, or form puzzling mushballs.
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Although the phenomenon may seem absurd, it raises an interesting question: What do scientists who have dedicated their academic careers to studying Uranus think of this crude humor?
Futurism researcher Chris Arridge from Lancaster University said that at first, he found it frustrating. There was some of that. We were doing serious work here and trying to push for an expedition to a scientifically fascinating place. In some ways, do the jokes devalue that? Is it less likely you will end up with a space mission to study a planet that many people who study planets consider a crucial piece of the puzzle for understanding our solar system?
Arridge stated that he has been gradually less funny, but also suggested an alarming possibility: That low-brow humor about the world could lead to a reduction in public funding for research.
Arridge stated that the vast majority of the work is paid by the public. The public is involved and a major stakeholder. It's a bit symbiotic. It can be problematic if your stakeholder believes it is a joke.
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Arridge stated that he does not feel the same way personally, but that he understands the concerns and wants to express them.
He said that if the public believes it is a joke, then the next thought in the thread would be, Do they think it's a waste of time? "
Heidi Hammel is another concerned astronomer. She is a well-known Space Science Institute and Planetary Society Astronomer and is a leading expert on Neptune and Uranus. Hammel also helped to create NASA's 2010 decadal survey. In which she made a strong recommendation for NASA visiting Uranus.
It is a concern that this will make it more difficult to obtain a mission for study of this planet. Hammel said that NASA would be sensitive about these headlines and to the ridicule they might get if they were to attempt to send a mission there. We want to send atmospheric probes. And we call them probes. It is impossible to separate this from the whole aliens probing humanity thing.
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She said that the most serious issue is that she believes it could hinder our ability to send a mission to the planet. Although I don't think it is impossible, it is something we are concerned about. Perhaps we can just head to Neptune and not worry about it all.
Hammel still supports the scientific arguments in favor of a mission to Uranus. Although she acknowledged that there is no evidence that Uranus jokes could pose a threat, she still believes that there are reasons to be concerned.
Multiple NASA spokespersons have not responded to Futurism's questions regarding whether those concerns still hold true as of this article's publication. However, most of the astronomers Futurism spoke with believe that these concerns are just excessively cautious researchers making innocuous jokes.
Futurism spoke with Mark Hosfstadter (NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory planetary scientist) about his opinions and how they know Washington DC. Mark Hosfstadter published a paper in 2019 arguing for a mission. They will tell you that if you try to get funding for Congress, your argument will be rejected because the word Uranus is used. It is better to visit Neptune if you wish to study the ice giants.
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Hofstadter said that I don't like this argument. Any scientific argument that states Neptune is more important than Neptune if you are trying to study an ice giant is one I'm willing to accept. The answer is often [its moon] Triton. This argument is one I accept and can respect. However, to claim that I will choose a mission from Uranus over one to Neptune just because of its name is not a good reason.
Hofstadter stated that it was all good fun for the most parts. He said that his wife bought him a T-shirt with the claim that 63 Earths could fit into Uranus. 64 if you just relax.
Hofstadter explained that the correct number is 63.5.
A joking T-shirt conveyed an important fact about the planet. He said that it was okay with me. It's exactly the same as the tongue-in-cheek title that you used. It's an attempt to make people relax and to teach them something about science.
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Other Uranus scientists enthusiastically supported the making of snide remarks about their gas giant. Many scientists agreed that humor is a winning strategy for scientific communication.
Ned Molter, a University of California astronomy PhD student, said Futurism that I think, as a general public, I kind of love it. It is good to have engagement with my work in whatever way. This is how I see it. Do the jokes become repetitive and tiresome? Yes. The thing is that the amount of time I speak to the public about the work is not enough to affect me. I would not say that I am frustrated. It opens up a conversation.
Journalists can have fun with the topic. Molter also approves of that.
Molter stated that clickbait is what people are looking for. Ninety percent might think that's funny and ten percent may think that it is really helpful.
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He said that you can use any headline you like to get people to read your article. As long as it's not a lie or crap, however, it should be clear. Making a joke about a butt is the best way to do this. It is impossible to imagine a way in which making a joke about my work would misrepresent it.
Scientists agree that it is also a good idea to have a sense humor about your work.
Deniz Soyuer, University of Zurich PhD student, said that astrophysics seemed like everyone is having fun. These jokes are not only about Uranus, but all over the world. There are many objects in the universe. There are also yo mamma gags about black holes, and other stuff.
Soyuer wondered aloud if there was a generational divide that might explain why some astronomers are bothered by the jokes. He also mentioned that he and his peers were from the internet generation, and they laugh at everything.
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All seven experts who spoke to us, all of them having published research on Uranus in the past, agreed that Neptune and Uranus are both extremely important scientifically, but often get overlooked. Voyager 2, the only spacecraft that has flown beyond Uranus or Neptune, was launched almost 40 years ago.
Soyuer stated that Neptune, Uranus, and Jupiter are far more well-explored than what we call the gas giants, Saturn and Jupiter.
Even scientists who were less critical of Uranus jokes stated that they see the value in funny scientific communications. They argue that they can help bring life to a field that is otherwise dominated by technical papers and research.
Arridge stated that it would be boring if everything was dull, bland, and factual. These articles about Uranus and leaking liquids are funny to me.
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NASA Data shows that Uranus is leaking out of control
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