r/askscience Subreddit Stats and Best Posting Times

What to Post and How to Rank on r/askscience

Best Topics & Content Types

r/askscience thrives on specific, well-formulated scientific questions that address everyday phenomena or curious aspects of established science. Posts that perform best ask about observable realities with non-obvious explanations, such as inquiries about body mechanics during exercise or the evolutionary purpose behind human anatomy. The subreddit favors text-based questions that are narrowly focused rather than broad topics, with successful examples including "What % of my weight am I actually lifting when doing a push-up?" and "Why is the human nose the shape it is?" Link posts are generally less successful unless they reference peer-reviewed research directly relevant to the question. Image posts work best when they illustrate a specific phenomenon being questioned, like diagrams showing biomechanics. The community particularly values questions that bridge common experiences with scientific principles, allowing for detailed explanations that reveal hidden complexities in ordinary things.

Writing Style & Tone

The most successful posts in r/askscience adopt a curious but precise tone that demonstrates genuine interest in understanding rather than seeking simplistic answers. Questions should be phrased with enough specificity to enable accurate scientific responses while remaining accessible to non-experts. Moderately formal language works best—avoiding both excessive jargon and oversimplification—while maintaining approachability. The highest-rated responses often include thoughtful follow-up questions that show engagement with previous answers. Humor is acceptable when it naturally arises from the discussion but shouldn't overshadow the scientific content. Posts that acknowledge what the asker already understands about a topic before posing their specific question tend to generate higher-quality responses, as they provide context for the level of explanation needed.

What Gets Upvoted

Highly upvoted content in r/askscience consistently demonstrates three key qualities: specificity, verifiability, and educational value. Questions that isolate a single phenomenon for examination rather than asking broad philosophical questions about science receive more engagement. Posts that reference observable realities ("When I do X, I notice Y—what explains this?") outperform purely theoretical inquiries. Responses that cite peer-reviewed research or established scientific consensus while explaining concepts accessibly earn the most upvotes. The community particularly rewards answers that break down complex processes into understandable steps without sacrificing accuracy, such as explaining why bacteria can't develop resistance to alcohol-based sanitizers. Posts that spark follow-up questions demonstrating deeper engagement with the material also tend to gain traction, as they advance collective understanding rather than just providing quick answers.

What to Avoid

Avoid questions that are easily answered by basic internet searches or that demonstrate insufficient preliminary research. The community downvotes posts promoting pseudoscience, conspiracy theories, or questions framed to support predetermined conclusions rather than seeking genuine understanding. Climate change denial, anti-vaccination rhetoric, and other forms of science denialism are explicitly prohibited based on the subreddit's alignment with science communication standards evident in related communities like r/science. Questions that are overly broad ("Explain quantum physics") or that ask for professional medical advice also typically get removed. Additionally, avoid posting duplicate questions that have been thoroughly addressed in previous discussions, as the community values novel inquiries that advance understanding rather than rehashing settled topics.

Posting Tips

Timing your post for weekday mornings around 9am EST appears optimal based on broader Reddit engagement patterns, though weekends may offer less competition for visibility. Craft titles that precisely state your question while hinting at why it's scientifically interesting—for example, "Why does X happen when Y occurs, contrary to what I'd expect?" rather than just "Question about X." Before posting, search thoroughly to ensure your question hasn't been recently addressed in detail. When framing your question, briefly mention what you already understand about the topic to help responders tailor their explanations to your knowledge level. After posting, actively engage with respondents by asking thoughtful follow-up questions that demonstrate you're processing their explanations. For complex topics, consider breaking your inquiry into multiple focused questions rather than one sprawling post that's difficult to address comprehensively.