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Bird is the word – on the importance of ethical and effective scientific communication

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 March 2015

Sam Dupont ,
Gregory Puncher  and
Piero Calosi
Sam Dupont*
Affiliation:
Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, The Sven Lovén Centre for Marine Sciences – Kristineberg, 566 Fiskebäckskil, Sweden
Gregory Puncher
Affiliation:
Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna, Biology, Geology and Environmental Sciences, 48123 Ravenna, Italy
Piero Calosi
Affiliation:
Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, 300 Allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, Québec G5L3A1, Canada
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: S. Dupont, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, The Sven Lovén Centre for Marine Sciences – Kristineberg, 566 Fiskebäckskil, Sweden email: sam.dupont@bioenv.gu.se
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Abstract

Back in 1963, the proto-punk band The Trashmen released the single Surfin’ bird (written by Frazier, White, Harris & Wilson Jr. and released in November 1963 by Garrett label; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZThquH5t0ow). Fifty years later and despite the obscure lyrics, the song remains iconic in western pop culture; e.g. through the recurrent appearance in the TV show Family Guy (e.g. I dream of Jesus episode, released on 5 October 2008; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WNrx2jq184). It is thought that the line ‘everybody knows that the bird is the word’ was inspired by a highly successful and catchy radio jingle released/commissioned in post prohibitionist USA by the Gallo brothers to boost the sales of their inexpensive fortified Thunderbird wine: ‘What's the word? Thunderbird’ (http://www.absurdintellectual.com/2009/06/05/everybodys-heard-that-the-bird-is-the-word-but-its-not-what-they-think/). This illustrates how a simple and catchy message can have a profound and long-lasting influence on society.

Keywords

communicationocean literacyclimate
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 95 , Issue 5 , August 2015 , pp. 863 - 864
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2015 

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References

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