Yep, it's that time of year again, time for the IgNobel prizes. These are given annually for the science research that makes you laugh then makes you think.This year we had a great visual which is making the rounds as Public Health IgNobel winner Elana Bodnar demonstrating a bra that can be quickly turned into a gas mask in an emergency. So you better be nice to your wife or she might not give you one in the case of a gas attack.
The IgNobel Physics Prize was given to Katherine K. Whitcome for determining (analytically mind you) why pregnant women don't tip over.
The Mathetmatics Prize went to Gideon Gono of Zimbabwe's Reserve bank for printing money in denominations from one cent to $100 trillion (can't we all see Dr. Evil with a $100 trillion bill?)
And the IgNobel chemistry prize went to a group from Mexico who managed to create diamonds from tequila. Check out the rest of the 2009 Winners.
The ceremony will be posted online as a podcast and video. They are always entertaining featuring segments such as the "Welcome, Welcome" address, The Big Bank Opera, the 24/7 lectures (24 second technical explanation of a topic followed by 7 words anyone can understand) and the Win a Date With a Nobel Laureate game. Don't worry about the speeches running long...if they do, they have a young girl on hand who will start telling them, "Please stop, I'm bored" repeatedly until they stop talking.
Be sure to check out one of the highlights of the year in science.
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4 comments:
You have to hope your wife's cup size exceeds the size of your nose.
Diamonds from tequila? Now that is science! I'm amazed that I was able to carry those 2 babies at once and still walk somewhat upright.
I suppose its too late to submit my jock strap gas mask idea?
Uh, I might prefer the gas.
"PEACE PRIZE: Stephan Bolliger, Steffen Ross, Lars Oesterhelweg, Michael Thali and Beat Kneubuehl of the University of Bern, Switzerland, for determining — by experiment — whether it is better to be smashed over the head with a full bottle of beer or with an empty bottle."
Yeah, these are my kind of scientists.
"BIOLOGY PRIZE: Fumiaki Taguchi, Song Guofu, and Zhang Guanglei of Kitasato University Graduate School of Medical Sciences in Sagamihara, Japan, for demonstrating that kitchen refuse can be reduced more than 90% in mass by using bacteria extracted from the feces of giant pandas."
I have always thought pandas were adorable, now we have reason to keep them as pets!! yes!!!! They're great for the environment, talk about going green, wow
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