Parody science, sometimes called spoof science, is the act of mocking science

Science

Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...

 in a satirical way. Science can be parodied for a purpose, ranging from social commentary and making political points, to humor for its own sake.

Parody science is distinctly different from science humor (or from real science that happens to be humorous like the Pitch drop experiment

Pitch drop experiment

The pitch drop experiment is a long-term experiment which measures the flow of a piece of pitch over many years. Pitch is the name for any of a number of highly viscous liquids which appear solid, most commonly bitumen...

) in that parody science has little or no basis in real science.

List of parody science and science humor resources

Caveat: Since many parody sciences masquerade as real sciences, it is not always clear when a "science" is a parody.

• Null Hypothesis: The Journal of Unlikely Science
  Null Hypothesis: The Journal of Unlikely Science
  Null Hypothesis: The Journal of Unlikely Science is an online satirical science website, which casts a wry eye over the world of science and technology. Dubbed "the Private Eye of science" by the Daily Telegraph, it was started in 2004 in Bristol University by three bored postgraduate students...
  
   - a satirical science website.
• Annals of Improbable Research
  Annals of Improbable Research
  The Annals of Improbable Research is a bi-monthly magazine devoted to scientific humor, in the form of a satirical take on the standard academic journal...
  
   - Science humor journal that awards the Ig Nobel Prizes.
• Journal of Irreproducible Results
  Journal of Irreproducible Results
  The Journal of Irreproducible Results is a magazine of science humor. JIR was founded in Israel in 1955 by virologist Alexander Kohn and physicist Harry J. Lipkin, who wanted a humor magazine about science, for scientists. It contains a unique mix of jokes, satire of scientific practice, science...
  
    - Parody science journal since 1955.
• Revolution Theory - Alternative theory of the creation of the universe.
• Science Made Stupid
  Science Made Stupid
  Science Made Stupid: How to Discomprehend the World Around Us is a book written and illustrated by Tom Weller in 1985. The winner of the 1986 Hugo Award for Best Non-Fiction Book, it is a parody of a junior high or high school-level science textbook. Though currently out-of-print, are available...
  
   - 1985 parody science book by Tom Weller.
• Speculative Grammarian
  Speculative Grammarian
  Speculative Grammarian is the self-described "premier scholarly journal featuring research in the neglected field of satirical linguistics." It is a parody science journal, similar in nature to the Annals of Improbable Research or the Journal of Irreproducible Results, but with content focusing on...
  
   - "the premier scholarly journal featuring research in the neglected field of satirical linguistics".
• Dihydrogen monoxide hoax
  Dihydrogen monoxide hoax
  In the dihydrogen monoxide hoax, water is called by an unfamiliar name, "dihydrogen monoxide", followed by a listing of real negative effects of this chemical, in an attempt to convince people that it should be carefully regulated, labeled as hazardous, or banned...
  
  , which exploits common fears about science to make people think that water
  Water
  Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
  
   is dangerous.
• Look Around You
  Look Around You
  Look Around You is a British television comedy series devised and written by Robert Popper and Peter Serafinowicz, and, in the first series, narrated by Nigel Lambert...
  
  , a BBC scientific satire
  Satire
  Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
  
   based on school science programmes from the '70s and '80s.
• Ask Dr. Science
  Ask Dr. Science
  Ask Dr. Science is a daily humorous radio sketch produced by the comedy troupe Duck's Breath Mystery Theatre. It is broadcast on many public radio stations, using a format that mixes elements of a commercial bumper and a public service announcement. A concerned citizen asks a question, which is...
  
  , a humorous radio and television program.
• Experimental demonstration of the tomatotopic organization in the Soprano (Cantatrix sopranica L.), a fake research paper by the writer Georges Perec
  Georges Perec
  Georges Perec was a French novelist, filmmaker, documentalist and essayist. He is a member of the Oulipo group...
  
  .

See also

• Ig Nobel
• Mathematical joke
  Mathematical joke
  A mathematical joke is a form of humor which relies on aspects of mathematics or a stereotype of mathematicians to derive humor. The humor may come from a pun, or from a double meaning of a mathematical term. It may also come from a lay person's misunderstanding of a mathematical concept...
  
  
• Parody
  Parody
  A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
  
  
• Parody religion
  Parody religion
  A parody religion or mock religion is a parody of a religion, sect or cult. A parody religion can be a parody of several religions, sects, gurus and cults at the same time. Or, it can be a parody of no particular religion, instead parodying the concept of religious belief...
  
  
• Pseudoscience
  Pseudoscience
  Pseudoscience is a claim, belief, or practice which is presented as scientific, but which does not adhere to a valid scientific method, lacks supporting evidence or plausibility, cannot be reliably tested, or otherwise lacks scientific status...
  
  

External links

• Science Made Stupid Online abridged form of book.
• Tom Weller Official website of the author of Science Made Stupid
• Dihydrogen Monoxide Official site on the Dangers of dihydrogen monoxide
  Dihydrogen monoxide hoax
  In the dihydrogen monoxide hoax, water is called by an unfamiliar name, "dihydrogen monoxide", followed by a listing of real negative effects of this chemical, in an attempt to convince people that it should be carefully regulated, labeled as hazardous, or banned...
  
  
• The Revolution Theory Website of The Revolution Institute.