"The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not 'Eureka' but 'That's funny...'"
Science is Serious Business. That's why any self-respecting practitioner of theoretical or applied science, mathematician or philosopher will refuse to study samples, examine specimens or patients, look through a microscope, make calculations or even read - in silence. Not being able to contain their interest in the very scientific matter at hand is considered the mark of the true Absent-Minded Professor, who will mutter, murmur and mumble incessantly to prove beyond doubt that, yes, science is going on right now.
Common Sounds of Science include:
- "For Science!"
- Prolonged "hmmmm"s
- Thinking Out Loud
- Techno Babble
- "A Riddle Wrapped in a Mystery Inside an Enigma..."
- "Hm-hm..."
- "Carry the One..."
- "Aha!"
- "Interesting..."/"Fascinating..."/"Intriguing..."
- Series of "tsk"s
- "That's funny..."
- "If My Calculations Are Correct..."
- "Oh!"
- "Eureka!"
- "The Readings Are Off the Scale!"
- "I've Never Seen Anything Like This Before..."
- "It's alive!"
- "My God, What Have I Done?!"
- "NOOOOOOOO!"
- "Great Scott!"
Please don't list single instances of those listed above, but rather significant or Egregious uses of this trope as well as cases where this is played with!
Examples:
- Calvin and Hobbes: "Scientific progress goes 'boink'?"
Films — Live-Action
- This Island Earth had some kind of experiment with nuclear reactions. The Mystery Science Theater 3000 guys had a field day with it.
Cal Meachem: Monitor the rate of radioactive decay.
Tom Servo: Increase the Flash Gordon noise and put more science stuff around!
- Family Matters: Steve Urkel had Sounds of Science catchphrases; "I'm a genius!" and the strange "Shhh... not while I'm pouring."
- Thomas Dolby: "She Blinded Me with Science". SCIENCE!!!
- Oingo Boingo's "Weird Science" is sung by a scientist and includes cries of "It's Alive!" The movie it was made for shows that the scientist is actually singing while doing science.
- Justified in Warhammer 40,000 where the tech-priests pray to machine spirits.
- ANNO: Mutationem: Several Story Breadcrumbs found in many areas display exuberant findings while talking about their studies regarding any supernatural variants they've studied.
- A textbook example
from Wondermark.
- In Schlock Mercenary, the issue of "Eureka!" versus "That's funny," is discussed here and in the subsequent strip, directly mentioning Asimov's quote above.
- Gloriously hammed up in the Invader Zim episode "Rise of the Zitboy" where Zim lays some wicked science on a pair of hapless chickens: "Hmm.. HMMMM! Hmmmmmm! Hm? Hmmm... chicken!"
- David Xanatos of Gargoyles hammed it up with "It's alive!" then lampshaded it with "I've always wanted to say that."
