Physicists Are Still Joking

This volume, $\mathbf{\text{Physicists}}\mathbf{\text{Are}}\mathbf{\text{Still}}\mathbf{\text{Joking}}$, serves as a definitive almanac of scientific humor spanning sixty years. It traces the evolution of professional folklore across geopolitical divides and technological eras. $\mathbf{\text{Part}}\mathbf{\text{I}}$ restores the classic 1966 anthology $\mathbf{\text{Physicists}}\mathbf{\text{Joke}}$, which originally served as a window for Soviet scientists into the best traditions of Western scientific humor; it consists primarily of articles translated from English, here meticulously restored to their original wording. $\mathbf{\text{Part}}\mathbf{\text{II}}$ presents the 1992 sequel, $\mathbf{\text{Physicists}}\mathbf{\text{Keep}}\mathbf{\text{Joking}}$, which captures the shift toward an original, introspective Russian scientific folklore born during the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union. $\mathbf{\text{Part}}\mathbf{\text{III:}}\mathbf{\text{Still}}\mathbf{\text{Joking}}$ explores the modern digital age, compiling contemporary science humor from physics, astronomy, biology, computer science and AI research. While the tools of science have evolved from slide rules to neural networks, the tradition of skeptical, self-referential wit remains a constant. Spanning from the “Golden Age” of vacuum tubes to the era of AI and Large Language Models, this collection documents the enduring ability of scientists to laugh at the universe and themselves.