Puns: The Moon


Did you hear about the new restaurant they put on the moon?

The food is great, but it has no atmosphere!

 

Why is it funny? Atmosphere has two meanings. The most common, scientific one is “the gaseous envelope that surrounds a planet.” For example, “The atmosphere of Earth is 21% oxygen.” The second meaning is “a surrounding or pervading mood, environment, or influence.” For example: “The cobwebs and dusty bookshelves gave the abandoned house a ghostly atmosphere.” This joke uses both meanings to create a perfect lunar pun: this restaurant on the moon has no particular “pervading mood,” and also no air to breathe.