We at the Annals of Improbable Research are always happy to help scientists interact with the real world, and vice versa. The producers of a new television series have asked us to spread the word about an improbable research opportunity. Here’s their story: ?GILLIGAN?S ISAND? ? The Reality Series AHOY PROFESSORS! Have you ever dreamed […]
Month: May 2004
Scholarly Tenacity
A true scholar is tenacious in pursuing the truth. Here’s an example. Doron Witzum, co-discoverer of the famous codes that he believes are hidden in the Bible (a discovery for which he shared the 1997 Ig Nobel Literature Prize), has written many papers in response to critics. Some of these papers have lengthy titles, such […]
New Hair Club Members
The Luxuriant Flowing Hair Club for Scientists (LFHCfS) has four splendid new members: Martha Farah, Lara Chepenik, Andrea Heberlein, Lars Penke and the not overly shy Felicitas Bidlack. See them and their hair at the LFHCfS home page, here.
The Triumph of Lal Bihari
Lal Bihari has triumphed in India’s parliamentary election. A we reported recently, the founder and head of the Association of Dead People — and winner of the 2003 Ig Nobel Peace Prize — was standing for elective office. See that report here. The election results are now in. Lal Bahari did not come in dead […]
Devilish Digits
In 1988, Robert W Faid solved one of the oldest and most famous problems in mathematics. Yet almost no one noticed. Cracking the nut that was nearly two millennia old, Faid calculated the identity of the Antichrist…. So begins this week’s Improbable Research column in The Guardian. Read it here.
Duct Tape, Clearly
We had somehow not been aware that transparent duct tape is now a reality. Details are here. (Thanks to Investigator Eric Workman for bringing this to our attention.) This provides a transparent excuse to mention out Duct Tape Opera, which premiered at the 1998 Ig Nobel Prize Ceremony. See the mini-opera’s libretto here.
Parallel Mikhailov
The mystery of the existence of Mikhailov (see “On the Existence of Mikhailov” and “Notes on the Existence of Mikhailov,” both of which appeared in AIR 10:2) has a parallel. To glimpse it, see The Riddle of the Self.
Insect Munch Musings
The inception of PROJECT “INSECT MUNCH KABOOM” (announced in mini-AIR 2004-04) roused Investigator Gary Dryfoos: Okay, first of all, I don’t think you can get most insects to blow at all, never mind in a specified direction. For a lot of them, it would seem their necks wouldn’t bend back enough for them to blow […]
Brains and Curiosity
Curiosity is generally a good thing, but perhaps it is possible to have too much of it. Investogator Ron Josephson alerted us to a news report about too-brainy curiosity. The report appeared on television station KUSA, channel 9, Denver Colorado, on February 23, 2004. See it here.
May mini-AIR
The May issue of mini-AIR just went out. Read it here. Contents include, among other things: / The Sniffing of Efficient Clerks / Historic Bear Suit / Project Nano / Nano Nota Bene / Science of Cooking: Sponges / Walked Knots Poet / Posthumous Politics Proliferates / Sorgenfrey-Line Limerick Contest / Hernia, Grizzly Bear, and […]