One of the things that we all have in common, no matter what we do for a living, is that at some point in our lives we have all most likely experienced a long and tedious day at work. Some days just never seem to end. They just lag on and on and on. When these days, or weeks, or months arise, I do believe that it is in our nature to find ways to, at the very least, entertain ourselves. It's easy enough to find ways of passing the time while working in hospitality or as educators, however, while working in the fields of medicinal or scientific research, there is little wiggle room. Here are 40 article titles that show the ways in which scientists have infused a little bit of fun into their work.
1. 'Original Series Was Good, But Next Gen Takes The Cake'
"Humanity, the original frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Earth. Its continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new gasses and other undiscovered elements, to boldly survive similarly to how we had before." - Captain D.S.R.
I'll be honest, I have absolutely no idea what this article is really about. Growing up in a household with a Trekky father, however, I could not possibly have looked past this article.
2. 'Rising To The Occasion'
A fantastic way to get the attention of readers is to draw their attention to something that reminds them of good times. And what better times than those we spent getting ourselves lost in the dark halls of Hogwarts.
Yeasts are great for baking delicious bread. Dry active yeast, fresh yeast, instant yeast, it doesn't matter. If it will bake into bread, it's a yeast worth getting. However, the only truly fantastic yeast out there comes from dimorphic fungal pathogens. They grow as a mold at room temperature, but as yeast at human body temperature. If that's not fantastic, I don't know what is.
3. "My Precious"
'Many many years ago, in a world unknown to modern man, a battle was fought that would change the way the lands would look forever. Hundreds of optic lasers were forged into what would become the most sought out ring in optical-fibre communications.'
Although optical physics doesn't seem all that interesting to an outsider, with just a little bit of Middle Earth jargon, almost anyone would at least be will to give the article a chance.
4. "Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho"
The classic Disney film 'Snow White' has many memorable moments and characters, however, there is no line in the film that has been quoted and misquoted more than the witch's famous "mirror, mirror" line.
Kudos to this author for figuring out how to word their article's title in a way that would attract the intrigue of our inner children. If this article were released just a few years later, when the world was learning about a different type of RNA, the mRNA (messenger RNA), perhaps more focus would have been given to the research that this article is referencing on the use of miRNA (microRNA) in combating medulloblastoma.
5. 'Yippee Ki Yay!'
Cinema in the 80s and 90s taught us a few things that we've been able to hang on to. The Terminator will always "be back", Mel Gibson is pretty much as crazy in real life as the characters he's portrayed, and no one can make things 'Die Harder' than Bruce Willis.
By no means do I consider myself an expert on the biology of a tumor, I know about as much the next person, however, if cancer stem cells truly are the Bruce Willises of tumor biology, then watch out tumors! One thing I do know is that you will be dying hard, and it will be done 'With A Vengeance'.
6. "Someone Get These Mother Truckin Programmers Off This Mother Truckin' Shuttle"
An aircraft of any kind needs to have a top-quality computer system in order to ensure the safety of everyone on board. No method of travel is in need of more safety systems in place than space travel.
No, this is not the daring sequel to everyone's favorite Sam Jackson film, in fact, it's not even about real snakes. It's even more interesting than that. Switching to the Python programming system has changed Heliophysics as we know it. See. It's totally more interesting than Sam Jackson fighting a giant reticulated python on a spaceship...
7. 'You're So Vain'
It's a lot easier to read something when we're able to relate to it in some way or another. Sometimes we search deep inside ourselves in order to find meaning in something, and some people just have to flip through a science journal.
If someone reading this thinks that the article is about them then it probably is. Self-perception is tough to get right sometimes, however, chances are if someone can find something to relate to in everything they may have narcissistic tendencies.
8. 'Open For Discussion'
There is so much that happens to an embryo in the early stages of a human pregnancy that it is nearly impossible to understand all of it. It's a good thing that papers like this exist in order to help us get to the bottom of some of our questions.
Let me answer everyone's questions, the blastopore begins as a dent inside the embryo that eventually becomes the anus. The other side of the dent, the gut, tunnels through the embryo in order to take its place as the mouth. Needless to say, the blastopore is nature's ultimate example of something going from ass-to-mouth.
9. "Chicka-Chicka-Chicka"
"Ya'll act like you never read a science article before
Eyes all on the door like students, like teachers just writing on the board
And started lecturin' us more than before
If at first we re-coursed, now we're hearin' the lecturer (Ahh)
It's the start of the, oh wait, they're late, you're sitting
Did Don Weller just say what I heard him say, did he"
Eyes all on the door like students, like teachers just writing on the board
And started lecturin' us more than before
If at first we re-coursed, now we're hearin' the lecturer (Ahh)
It's the start of the, oh wait, they're late, you're sitting
Did Don Weller just say what I heard him say, did he"
"I'm a self-thinner, yes, I'm the real self-thinner
All you other self-thinners, are just a lil thicker
So won't the real self-thinners please stand up
Please stand up, please stand up"
All you other self-thinners, are just a lil thicker
So won't the real self-thinners please stand up
Please stand up, please stand up"
10. "As Funny As A Screen Door On A Battleship"
Sometimes the simple things in life, like the use of wordplay or puns while telling jokes, can have lasting effects on us. After all, as children, they were the first types of humor that we were able to comprehend. No matter how old we get, a slight grin still forms upon all of our faces when we hear that one punny joke that reminds us of our childhood.
The author of this article seems to have understood that the topic of their article alone may not have been enough to attract readers, however, by leafing no rock unturned, they managed to bark up the right tree with their title.
11. 'Devolving'
For centuries science has been used to help get to the bottom of some of history's greatest mysteries.
I don't know what is more fascinating about this article, the topic, or that we could probably find enough people to fill a room who find anal evolution more interesting than the title is funny.
12. 'Going With The Flow'
It's usually pretty difficult to convince someone who knows little to nothing about a subject, to read an article or sit through a lecture on said topic. The best thing to do when finding one's self in a less than interesting conversation, is just to go with the flow.
Start with a catchy title, something that could catch the eye of bookworms and film geeks alike. Next, explain things in layman's terms so everyone, not just other scientists, could understand. If the second step doesn't work, just make sure the title is VERY catchy.
13. 'Can you Hear Me Now?'
Someone's mood can change drastically depending on what the weather is like outside and in recent years it has been more sporadic than ever. We often hear people complaining about it being too hot or too cold outside, or too rainy and windy.
We have all complained about an issue with our mobile phone's reception at least once in our lives, but it is not always the fault of our mobile providers. According to the author of this article, a cold and rainy day is the ideal condition for bad mobile reception.
14. 'Lowrider'
For decades musicians have been finding ways of slipping little tidbits of knowledge into some of our favorite songs. It is only fitting that scientists have begun to examine the meaning behind some of popular culture's biggest hits.
"Insane In The Brain" was a massive hit that helped Cypress Hill become one of the biggest acts of the 1990s. It was only a matter of time before someone was going to write an article that explains some of the reasons why the fellas from Cypress Hill's brains went insane.
15. 'It Should Clear Up After Puberty'
The origins of some infectious diseases are impossible to find. Without knowing what caused their existence, they are extremely difficult to combat. The most terrifying infectious diseases, however, are the ones that we know almost everything about, and yet can still find no cure for.
Thankfully, Bieber Fever has slowed its spread lately. It started off on a rampage, destroying everything in its wake. Not even the Canadian government was able to get rid of it when they wagered the Biebs himself on a gold medal hockey match against the United States (which Canada won). This goes to show that no matter how hard we try to rid ourselves of some infectious diseases, occasionally they just need to be waited out.
16. 'These Are The Voyages'
For more than 300 years the American Frontier was a place of mystery and happenstance. A lot of things happened out there that no one knew (or wanted to know) the answers to.
Considering how many galaxies are out there, space is far from being the final frontier, in fact, for people it is more like an endless frontier. Sadly, I'm not quite sure that the "Noah's Arc" of spaceships will be able to carry the weight of two full-grown elephants.
17. "Say Hello To My Little Friend"
Pop culture's portrayal of heavy drug abuse in film and television is one of the reasons that chemical drug abuse, especially amongst the youth, has become a problem that is spiraling out of control.
Just under 20,000 people a year die from crack overdoses in the United States alone. That number can be reduced significantly if funding were to be directed towards rehabilitation instead of incarceration.
18. "Bueller. Bueller. Any Takers? Bueller."
Some trials end up with far more volunteers than are needed in order to complete the study in question. Sometimes, however, there is no amount of money that would be enough to convince people to participate in a trial.
Something tells me that this is one of the trials that was hard-pressed to find willing participants. When jumping out of an airplane, a randomized controlled test of the use of parachutes to prevent death and major trauma, is not what one wants to be doing.
19. 'How Many Shades Can There Possibly Be?'
Using popular culture references to draw in an audience is usually a sign that the paper is not interesting enough to stand on its own, or that the author is in tune with what's hip outside of the lab.
Nope, we're not talking about the big adorable hippos that one may find on safari in Africa. This Hippo is a core module that consists of a tumor-suppressive and is used as a method to fight cancerous cells. I think that an actual hippo with 53 different shades would have been more interesting. Not as useful to science, but more interesting.
20. 'I Knew It!'
It is really tough to toss away old things, especially if there is a deep-rooted emotional attachment to them.
By being selective over which items are hung onto for all eternity and which find the back of the dumpster, we are able to optimize all the storage space we have. It looks like when it comes to our junk, size does matter.
21. 'Get Those Feet Moving'
Adding music and dance moves is enough to make pretty much anything interesting.
Oppan Gangnam Style...ok, who just started bobbing their heads and mentally dancing to the song? I'm sure biosynthesis is fun, but this article wouldn't have gotten a second look if not for its title's ability to evoke a head bob from me.
22. 'Shark Week!'
Sharks are one of the most feared living creatures on this planet. So much is still unknown about them. Although much is being done in order to help educate the public about these Dinosauric beasts, the resulting educational tourism may just be doing more harm than good.
Taking tourists on diving excursions in order to see sharks in their natural habitats is a great idea on paper. However, the more often these sharks see people, the more domesticated they have been becoming. Many sharks now wait in areas where they know tours will be passing through. These sharks have become the tourists of the shark world. Don't be surprised if, while on the next trip down the coast, a shark is seen with sunscreen and a beach towel.
23. "A Long Time Ago..."
The entire title of an article doesn't really matter sometimes. All that is needed are a few keywords in order to grab an audience's attention.
They had me at "The Return Of..." It could have been the Return of the King, The Return of The Pink Panther, it could have been anything. But it was the Jedi. It doesn't even matter what their article is about. I'm going to have a Star Wars marathon and maybe follow it up with an extended edition LOTR day.
24. "Inside All Of Us Is A Wild Thing"
"Where The Wild Things Are" is a classic children's book from 1963 that has the ability to awaken a nostalgic feeling in almost anyone under the age of 70. The book explores the wild creatures that could possibly be found and how they are not as scary as one may have originally thought them to be.
I think we've all read some fairly weird stories about what can be found in the American wilderness. Big Foot and Sasquatch are not the only rare species that can be found. Most are much smaller and much more mysterious.
25. 'Victory Or Death!'
Politicians have the rare ability to be able to be someone's best friend and worst enemy simultaneously. They also share a common belief that once they have won a seat in office, the seat is theirs. The only way to lose that seat is to have it wrongfully taken away from them...by a democratic vote, or to die in office.
There have been more than a few politicians who have served their constituencies, to the best of their abilities, right up to the moment they pass away. Then there are others whom the voters would have preferred to see fade away long before their time in the spotlight was up.
26. 'Low Pressure System'
Based on appearances alone, penguins are possibly the classiest of all of the creatures in the animal kingdom.
The way they waddle to and fro is enough to put a smile on anyone's face, but this adorable non-flying fowl proves its elegance in the water at any chance it gets. Of all the different topics available for someone to write an article on penguins, the speed at which their poop is expelled from their tiny little tushies would not be the expected first choice.
27. 'Gut-Check'
The festive season is meant to be a celebration. They are a special time of year. A time when families from all over the world come together, eat a great meal or two, and reminisce about old times.
Not all holiday dinners are filled with the Christmas spirit. As Ray Romano's hit series, "Everybody Loves Raymond" touches on every so nicely, some in-laws bring more stress than joy. Some families may want to consider a permanent switch to Zoom family gatherings.
28. 'Pass The Funions'
As more countries begin to utilize medical marijuana as a way to help patients who are suffering from various ailments, the general public has begun to see that many of the stigmas surrounding it have been ill-founded.
The amount of drug-related arrests have dropped significantly in the states where medical marijuana has been legalized, and people are getting the medications they need. It's a win-win situation.
29. 'What Kind Of Wood Was That?'
A great way to expand one's views on the world is by learning about different cultures. It is this knowledge of civilizations (old and new) that makes it possible to understand more about the history of humanity.
Well, that sure is a breath of fresh air, isn't it? When I first heard the knock on the door there was no approach to French Guiana that I was hoping for more than an ethnoarchaeological one.
30. 'Can't Teach An Old Dog New Tricks'
New puppies and kittens are adorable beyond belief, however, they can also be little terrors sometimes. For this reason, it's best to train them when they are young. The training process is usually quite tiresome, but the sooner it's done, the sooner the little furry friend can be trusted with the public. New viruses are pretty much the same, right? The sooner they've been trained and are under control, the sooner they can be trusted amongst the masses.
Infecting a patient with an oncolytic virus, as a treatment in order to infect and kill cancerous cells, is a relatively new and controversial method of fighting a tumor. One would have to believe that in learning how to train these viruses, a great deal of doubt would be alleviated from the minds of naysayers worldwide.
31. 'Five Finger Discount'
Sometimes the title of an article is enough to leave anyone speechless...
Not one of the questions that the title of this article evokes needs to be answered. What's rather concerning, is that there was enough data to actually write that article.
32. 'Don't Cross The Streams'
The human body is an extremely complex device. There are so many wires crisscrossing throughout it, each one with its own important function. If even one of these wires is frayed or even worse, disconnected, the entire body will not function properly.
The vagus provides the required innervation to the majority of the muscles of the pharynx and larynx. This means that if the brain is not able to signal it properly, we will not be able to swallow or speak properly. And in the thorax, it helps to stimulate a reduced heart rate. So, what happens in the vagus, better not stay in the vagus.
33. 'That Sure Is A Big Rock'
From the mountains high to the valleys low, the American wilderness is full of amazing things. Some people enjoy the quiet of the woods and others are drawn to the amazing wildlife that can be seen at every turn. And some people, well, they're drawn to giant immovable objects.
This is actually an article that someone wrote about giant rocks (sorry, boulders) that they had encountered throughout their travels. I'm not quite sure how well they knew these boulders, but it must have been fairly well if they were the topic for this paper. I would have preferred an article about Boulder, Colorado.
34. 'It's A Circle. There's No Beginning And No End. It's a Circle. There's No Beginning And No End. It's A Circle. There's...'
Research papers usually have at least a few references in order to help prove one's theory either correct or incorrect. But what happens when the research paper is on research?
Researching the topics of 'Search' and 'Re-Search' can lead someone around on an endless loop of researching research while searching for more research to search for.
35. "Don't Turn Off The Lights"
Any botanists or plant biologists out there who were hoping to one day read an article that would rival the steam production that was caused by watching the film 'Fifty Shades Of Grey', stop hoping.
Promoting cell elongation, auxin is produced in the tip of the stem and causes the cells on the darker side of the plant to grow larger than their counterparts on the lighter side. Once those roots start developing laterally this paper may be reclassified as R-Rated.
36. 'Parental Lock'
Due to the widespread availability of the internet and parent's lack of responsibility when it comes to internet security, the youth of today are gaining access to material that is well beyond their maturity levels.
By watching too much pornography it can only be assumed that individuals have, to some extent, begun to lose touch with reality. The younger someone is when they first gain access to adult materials, the larger chance there is that they will have a jaded perspective on what a healthy relationship is meant to be.
37. 'Leading By Example'
From a millionaire real estate conglomerate with wealthy friends and no regard for others to a reality tv personality with wealthier friends and even less regard for others. There is only one person who has been able to constantly flaunt social and political norms while stepping on everyone possible on their way to the top. Only one person, if given the choice between themselves and the rest of humanity, would choose themselves.
Ohhhh! It was a metaphor...My bad.
38. 'Love Lifts Us Up Where We Belong'
Love is a powerfully intense emotion that is experienced differently by everyone. Some people find it hard to find one way to love something, let alone fifty different ways.
Loving a lever can only take a lever lover as far as the action caused by the loved lever. When picking a lever to love, be sure to leave levers unleveraged if they provide less outward force than is desirable.
39. 'Run For It Marty!'
"Back To The Future" was ground zero for many of us when it came to our knowledge of time travel. Doc Brown, in his infinite wisdom, knew that there were certain things that could cause a rift in the time-space continuum. These events, if they occurred, would, in turn, cause an end to everything as we know it.
If two people from different times have contrasting views, and one of them has made their career on the basis of arguing their predecessor's theory, then if the successor were to have been the predecessor, would they still have had the careers they ended up with?
40. 'Inside The Actin Studio'
Acting like something we're not can get us into a lot of trouble, if those whose eyes we are attempting to pull the wool over, figure it out.
Actin-related cells appear to have much in common with the more classic version of actin that we all know and love. But we all know that nothing beats the original. Move over fake actin, there's no room for imposters here.