Ig Nobel Awards Highlight Year’s Irreverent Science Discoveries
By Gillian Carr
monday 19th October 2009
monday 19th October 2009
While the Nobel Prizes might capture the bulk of publicity each year for important developments in science benefitting humanity, they overshadow a set of awards recognising another set of scientific achievement. The Ig Nobel Prizes, now in their 14th year, are a parody of the Nobels and are given to ten projects that "first make people laugh and then make people think." But just because the Ig Nobels are a parody does not mean that they do not have a place or are not important to recognize. Marc Abrahams, editor of Annals of Improbably Research (co-sponsor of the awards) told the BBC that the awards also exist to "celebrate the unusual, honour the imaginative - and spur people's interest in science, medicine and technology."
The Ig Nobel Prizes are handed out every year at Harvard University and a surprising number of the recipients attend in person to collect their prize. They are also allowed to give a 60 second acceptance speech, the time limit of which is enforced by an eight-year-old girl. This year's winners and their important contributions to scientific knowledge are summarized below.
Pullquote: The Ig Nobel Prizes are handed out every year at Harvard University and a surprising number of the recipients attend in person to collect their prize.
Chemistry: Awarded to a trio of scientists at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico who created diamond film from tequila. For those tempted to try this get-rich-quick scheme from their booze, it should noted that the diamonds are particles and one would need an extremely large amount of tequila to make a diamond big enough for a ring.
Physics: Awarded to Katherine Whitcome at the university of Cincinnati and others at various US universities for a collaborative effort studying the important question of why pregnant women do not topple over due to their shape. Apparently it's a more complicated answer than 'balance and practice.'
Medicine: Awarded to a doctor in California, Donald Unger, who cracked the knuckles of his left hand (but not his right hand) every day for sixty years in an effort to discover whether it would cause arthritis. Unger told the Guardian Newspaper: "After 60 years, I looked at my knuckles and there's not the slightest sign of arthritis. I looked up to the heavens and said: 'Mother, you were wrong, you were wrong, you were wrong.'" (Be sure to show this article to your parents the next time they nag you!)
Public Health: Awarded to Elena Bodnar of Hinsdale, Illinois (formerly of the Ukraine) for creating and patenting a bra that can be converted into a pair of gas masks. In an emergency this will allow the wearer and a bystander to escape harm. The inventor has said that she was inspired by the events of Chernobyl to invent the bra. All well and good but the big question remains: is it comfortable to wear, ie. does the gas-mask bra chafe?
Biology: Awarded to Japanese researchers at Kitasato University graduate school of medical science who demonstrated that by using bacteria extracted from giant panda excrement, kitchen waste can be reduced by more than 90%. The researchers believe that the panda poo is particularly effective in breaking down substances because of the bear's normal diet of bamboo.
Veterinary Medicine: Awarded to a pair of scientists at Newcastle University's school of agriculture for the discovery that giving cows names such as Daisy will actually increase the yield of milk they can give. No word yet however on whether giving a cow the name Ferdinand will have the same results.
Links: Read about the other winners in peace, literature, mathematics and economics at the Guardian’s round-up of the Ig Nobel Awards: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/oct/02/ig-noble-awards-britons-top
The Ig Nobel Prizes are handed out every year at Harvard University and a surprising number of the recipients attend in person to collect their prize. They are also allowed to give a 60 second acceptance speech, the time limit of which is enforced by an eight-year-old girl. This year's winners and their important contributions to scientific knowledge are summarized below.
Pullquote: The Ig Nobel Prizes are handed out every year at Harvard University and a surprising number of the recipients attend in person to collect their prize.
Chemistry: Awarded to a trio of scientists at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico who created diamond film from tequila. For those tempted to try this get-rich-quick scheme from their booze, it should noted that the diamonds are particles and one would need an extremely large amount of tequila to make a diamond big enough for a ring.
Physics: Awarded to Katherine Whitcome at the university of Cincinnati and others at various US universities for a collaborative effort studying the important question of why pregnant women do not topple over due to their shape. Apparently it's a more complicated answer than 'balance and practice.'
Medicine: Awarded to a doctor in California, Donald Unger, who cracked the knuckles of his left hand (but not his right hand) every day for sixty years in an effort to discover whether it would cause arthritis. Unger told the Guardian Newspaper: "After 60 years, I looked at my knuckles and there's not the slightest sign of arthritis. I looked up to the heavens and said: 'Mother, you were wrong, you were wrong, you were wrong.'" (Be sure to show this article to your parents the next time they nag you!)
Public Health: Awarded to Elena Bodnar of Hinsdale, Illinois (formerly of the Ukraine) for creating and patenting a bra that can be converted into a pair of gas masks. In an emergency this will allow the wearer and a bystander to escape harm. The inventor has said that she was inspired by the events of Chernobyl to invent the bra. All well and good but the big question remains: is it comfortable to wear, ie. does the gas-mask bra chafe?
Biology: Awarded to Japanese researchers at Kitasato University graduate school of medical science who demonstrated that by using bacteria extracted from giant panda excrement, kitchen waste can be reduced by more than 90%. The researchers believe that the panda poo is particularly effective in breaking down substances because of the bear's normal diet of bamboo.
Veterinary Medicine: Awarded to a pair of scientists at Newcastle University's school of agriculture for the discovery that giving cows names such as Daisy will actually increase the yield of milk they can give. No word yet however on whether giving a cow the name Ferdinand will have the same results.
Links: Read about the other winners in peace, literature, mathematics and economics at the Guardian’s round-up of the Ig Nobel Awards: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/oct/02/ig-noble-awards-britons-top