Jellyfish Videos Show Casual Tone Raises Science Curiosity Online

A University of Georgia study tested more than 1,000 people watching short science videos about jellyfish, finding that enjoyment and curiosity were closely linked but varied widely depending on tone, cultural references, and the race of the speaker on screen.

Researchers worked with PBS Digital Studios to produce 12 different videos for the study, according to Phys.org. Each video varied along three lines: a formal or casual tone, whether it included a SpongeBob SquarePants reference, and whether the speaker was white, Black, or Latina. On average, viewers rated the casual, SpongeBob-referencing videos as more enjoyable and said those videos made them more curious about jellyfish.

Michael Cacciatore, the study's lead author and an associate professor at the UGA Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, said the results point to how curiosity functions as a gateway. "People who enjoyed the content were more willing to go out and learn about science," he said. "If we were able to spark curiosity in people, it pushed them toward liking and wanting to know more about science."

Cacciatore also described the broader context of why humor on social media matters to science creators. "People expect humor on social media. When you grow up in that world, everything needs to be funny," he said. "And curiosity is like fertile soil. It sparks joy and wonder in people. Curiosity makes people want to go find answers to questions."

The study did not find a single formula that worked across all audiences. Cultural references that landed well with white participants sometimes did not connect with Black or Latino viewers. Focus group work revealed a particular concern among Black respondents about cartoony presentation styles.

"We did some focus group work, and a trend among Black respondents was that they generally didn't want science to be cartoony and childlike. They feel like that dumbs down the content, which feels like the content creator is taking a swipe at them," Cacciatore said. "Like the content creator believes they can't understand science in the same manner as other people, and that's why they have to show it in cartoon form."

He added that humor itself cannot simply be translated from one group to another. "Also, that data collection made clear that content needs to be specific to the type of humor sensibilities that different groups generally have. You can't just repackage a joke into a different language. It needs to resonate with cultural values."

The race of the speaker also influenced how audiences responded. Black viewers reported higher curiosity about science when the speaker on screen was also Black. The researchers said this has direct implications for creators trying to reach specific demographics.

The study was part of a broader effort to understand what turns a single video view into lasting scientific interest. The researchers noted that simply delivering facts is not enough. Getting a viewer curious enough to seek out more information on their own is the real goal, and that requires understanding what makes different audiences feel included and respected by the content they watch.