This is of course, a take on an old joke. Surprisingly to me, or, perhaps I should not be so surprised, there is a lot of co-authored research on this topic. The answer to this question varies by academic discipline. So, rather than a single solid number we can grasp and count on as truth, it comes down to theory and an academics’ theoretical perspective and understanding of the universe (yeah for theory!). I now wonder how many government grants funded such research, and we still do not have a solid answer.
Much of this research is dedicated towards plotting how to transition from the incandescent light bulb to the modern LED light bulb, so it might get a pass in answering this question. This does not technically involve changing a non-working light bulb, but involves replacing a perfectly good light bulb with a different one. The focus of the question is how to replace a non-working light bulb with one that works.
Our Research Question would be:
“Under nominal conditions, how many academic researchers are required to successful replace a non-working light bulb? in a table lamp”
And our hypotheses would be:
H0: One academic researcher is required to successfully replace a non-working light bulb in a table lamp
H1: More than one academic researcher is required to successfully replace a non-working light bulb in a table lamp.
This is where it gets tricky. According to the website https://www.null-hypothesis.co.uk/article/264/ the actual number varies from 0 to 77. Mathematicians, Astronomers, Programmers, Aerospace engineers, Psychologists, and others have no response or do not consider it an issue under their domain. The author, Dr. Geoff Halsey of “London University” indicates that it takes 2 Freudian analysts, and 1 to 2 Statisticians. He indicates that it takes 2 Microsoft engineers and 7 Apple engineers (including engineers to design accessories and T-shirts).
The same post claims it takes 7 nuclear engineers include one to change the bulb, and 6 to figure out what to do with the old bulb. It also take 11 theoretical physicists to publish a paper outlining their research on changing the bulb according to the author. Perhaps the most outlandish, and likely most accurate comes from NASA. According to the esteemed Dr Halsey, it takes 77 NASA engineers to change a light bulb, will take at least 2 weeks, and will cost $3,000,000.
Perhaps the most “academic” study on this issue comes the Massachusetts Institute of Technology or as it is better known as – MIT. A blogger from MIT estimated it takes about 8,000 engineers to change a light bulb (https://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/how_many_engineers_does_it_tak/). His (I think it’s a guy) reasoning is based on observational research at an event celebrating the 150th anniversary of MIT. Following the expected pageantry, pomp & circumstance, and the requisite speeches by important and semi-important people, a new charter for the university was introduced. Rather than such an important document be presented on historically important looking yellowed parchment paper that resembled the Declaration of Independence we all visited on those 8th grade field trips to Washington, DC, this new charter, leading MIT for perhaps the next 150 years was presented, and signed by all those official MIT officials on an IPAD (hence the 8,000 engineers).
Other authors focus less on the actual application of changing a light bulb and more on the growing trend of co-authored research. A 2007 article published in the journal Science highlighted the growth in group-based research (Wuchty, Jones, & Uzzi. 2007). Between 1955 and 2000, the number of co-authored papers in the social sciences increased from 17.5% of all papers to 51.5% of all papers. the increase in co-authored papers was even greater in the sciences and engineering.
Based on this admittedly limited literature review, that includes some non-academic sources, we would have to reject the null hypothesis that one academic researcher could successfully replace a non-working light bulb in a table lamp. It seems clear that based on this single authored, highly scientific analysis, it is highly unlikely that a single academic, working alone is capable of changing a burned out lightbuld in a table lamp, let alone in a ceiling or other space that might require additional tools such as a ladder or screwdriver.
Maybe I should write a grant for a funded study to learn how many academics it would take to change the burned out bulb in my kitchen ceiling. I’m looking for co-principle investigators and post-docs if anyone is interested.
Let me know, or just check back weekly to read more from my blog.