Helen Pilcher bemoans the lack of humour in most science writing, but does not appear to consider why this is (It’s official: scientists aren’t funny. But it doesn’t have to be this way, 4 April). When I wrote my first scientific paper many years ago, I included some humorous remarks. A referee gave me some wise advice. We scientists whose first language is English are lucky that it has become the international language of science. But this confers some responsibility. We need to make our writing as clear as possible, so that scientists whose native language isn’t English can understand fully what we have written.
Jokes are notoriously difficult to translate and can date rapidly, so are best avoided in scientific papers. Lectures and other presentations to the general public are a different matter, and can allow scientists free rein to exercise their funny bones.
Roger Downie
Glasgow
