In November 1995 Fast Company magazine investigated an example of “everyone knows that…” science: Manfred Kets de Vries published the fable in his recent book, “Life and Death in the Executive Fast Lane”: “Take a pot of hot water and a frog. Throw the frog into the pot. What do you think will happen? The […]
Month: June 2006
Pest sounds
Fingernails on a blackboard. Why does the very phrase send chills down one’s back? The question has annoyed scientists for at least 2,300 years. Aristotle mentioned “hard sounds”, but didn’t try very hard to explain them. In the mid-1980s, three scientists subjected volunteers to a battery of electronically synthesised nails-on-blackboard screeching. D Lynn Halpern, Randolph […]
In whom?
Smoking and Obesity May Increase the Risk of Erectile Dysfunction Boston, MA — A prospective study by researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) has found that obesity and smoking are strongly associated with a greater risk of erectile dysfunction (ED). Meanwhile, regular physical activity appeared to have a significant impact on lowering […]
Shodden Freud
“Improbable Medical Review” is a column that appears in every issue of the Annals of Improbable Research. The column from the May/June 2006 issue also appears online. It gives citations on the following topics: Shodden Freud Hamburger: Harmonica Tales of the Unexpected: Responses of Mistreated Patients A Loud Noise in the Service of Sleep Baby […]
The mysterious National Library of Addictions
Of all the libraries in all the world, which is the most addictive — and the most mysterious? Perhaps it’s The National Library of Addictions. This addictive entity is located in Brookline, Massachusetts. Founded by Punyamurtula S. Kishore, M.D., M.P.H., it is said (by itself) to be “an intellectual gathering place for health care professionals […]
Day for a date
David Brown describes a simple way to do a “savant” trick: calculate the day of the week for any specified date. (For example: was March 12, 1401, a Sunday, a Monday, a Tuesday, a Wednesday, a Thursday, a Friday, or a Saturday?) He says: My point here is simply to suggest that though some savant […]
Astronomy and the Holy Grail
Steve Nadis is the is the chief holy grail hunter in all of science. Years ago, he began a relentless quest to find and document all the holy grails pursued by all the scientists everywhere. His latest collection, fixating on astronomy’s holy grails, appears in the May/June issue of the Annals of Improbable Research.
Dinner a la commode
David Blackburn’s “Dinner a la commode,” published in the February 23, 2006 issue of the Oxford Student, is a small but salient entry in the annals of engineering. (Thanks to Investigator Alasdair Kergon for bringing this to our attention.)
(Frank) Fish, Fish, Fish, Fish, Fish…
We have written about Professor Frank Fish (of West Chester University) before. He studies fish. We may write about him again. In the May/June 2006 issue of the Annals of Improbable Research, we celebrate his career, in words and pictures. The article also appears online, which is why we mention it here.
Hitler cats
Hitler Cats is a blog about cats that look like Hitler. (Thanks to Metafilter for bringing this to our attention.)