Science writing doesn’t always have to be serious. Sometimes it can be silly too.

We’d be the first to admit that some of the content here on TIR gets a bit over-earnest or po-faced occasionally, but with all the pop culture references and intermittent zaniness we do try to keep the tone light.

As a reminder, and a last retrospective before proper postings resume next week, here’s a compilation of our top-rated postings from the sillier end of the scientific spectrum – enjoy!

TIR’s silly side, in order of popularity (click on the titles to see the postings):

1. The cell biologist’s guide to fine dining – if research journals were restaurants, what kind would they be?

2. A bartender’s guide to the life sciences – if life scientists were drinks, what kind of tipple would they be?

3. Superheroes of the lab – a spotter’s guide – the everyday superheroes to be found in research groups.

4. The Lumberjack song…for scientists – TIR pays homage to Monty Python. 

5. Lab fiends – a spotter’s guide – some of the rogues to be found in research groups.

6. Great scientists, great moustaches – a celebration of scientific facial hair.

7. A (biomedical) Christmas carol – what would Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” have been like if set in the world of science?

8. Paper diplomacy – what we say and what we really mean in our “response to reviewers” letters.

9. Painted Ladies – a short sketch on the theme of gender equality

10. The next top model…organism – TIR pays homage to the Bee Gees as we “Stay in the lab”

11. TIR film club: Blade Runner – TIR reinterprets Ridley Scott’s sci-fi classic in a lab setting.

12. Stranger PhDings – TIR reinterprets the Netflix sensation in a lab setting.

13. Great scientists, great moustaches Pt2 – the second instalment of our facial hair appreciation series.