Community guides · Science
Why some comments in r/physics get thousands of upvotes and yours don't
r/physics values methodology over conclusion. A comment that explains how the study was done lands better than one that summarizes what it found.
What's hot in r/physics now
What people are actually discussing
Top threads from the last month — what's getting engagement right now.
What this sub rewards
How replies earn upvotes here
- Plain-language analogies are welcome, but never at the cost of accuracy.
- Stay within peer-reviewed science; clearly mark anything speculative. If it's not in a peer-reviewed paper or major preprint, mark it as preliminary. Don't blur established vs emerging.
- Back specific claims with evidence — research, data, or named sources. Link the abstract or DOI. r/science readers will check.
- Acknowledge limitations, trade-offs, or uncertainty when relevant. Mention sample size, confounders, replication status. 'One study showed' is a setup, not a conclusion.
What good looks like
Real comments that landed in r/physics
Two recent highly-upvoted replies. Notice what they have in common — concrete, no preamble, no self-promotion.
"Veritasium being in popsci doesnt make sense when you describe it as "no math, huge simplifications aiming at a very broad audience and basic understanding" but a lot of their videos are math heavy and definitely do NOT lend themselves to a broad audience well. (Not all, but there are literally videos that are just maths)"
"The Berkley "Electricity and Magnetism" (Edward Purcell), just do every single demonstration from start to finish, it starts from the very basics. Electromagnetism is the cornerstone of relativity principles, that's where the basics of intuition need to be built. Don't skip the proof of going from an electric field to a magnetic one by changing frame, it's very very hard…"
Your pre-reply checklist
Before you hit Reply — four quick checks
Does my comment add something specific, not just an opinion?
A useful reply names a number, a method, a personal experience, or a concrete example. If you could replace your draft with "I agree" and lose nothing, rewrite.
Have I read the top 3 comments already on this thread?
If the highest-upvoted reply already says what you were about to say, your comment will sink. Add what's missing — counterexamples, edge cases, the next step — not what's there.
Would my reply still work if my username was removed?
If it only makes sense because it promotes you, your product, or your platform, this sub will spot it. Frame the value as "this solved it for me," not "check out my…"
Did I skim the sidebar rules one more time?
Every sub has at least one rule that surprises outsiders — peer-review only, no images, no specific tags, no off-topic. Five seconds in the sidebar can save you a removal.
Want to draft this reply with the rules already baked in?
Try Redimates — free, 10 replies / week