A whole new side of Jesus is cropping up in the field of decision science. A new generation of scholars is taking Jesus to their collective theoretic, strategic bosom. Two recent studies stand out…. So begins this week’s Improbable Research column in The Guardian
Month: March 2005
Feynman ice cream
There is, or at least was briefly, an ice cream flavor created in honor of physicist Richard Feynman. Devised by Toscanini’s Ice Cream, it was inspired by the story that earlier inspired the name of the classic book Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!
Fainting goats, teachers, et al.
Some researchers revere fainting goats. Certain cineastes savor video clips of fainting goats. Thoughtful teachers take to them, too.
Why rats can’t vomit
Why rats can’t vomit. There are reasons why. (Thanks to Karen Hopkin for bringing this to our attention. Investigator Hopkin comments that "Interestingly, the table suggests that horses have the ability to vomit, but do so ‘rarely, if ever.’ That I didn’t know.")
Sausage carpets
This year there were sausage rugs at the Cologne Furniture Fair. The sausage rugs are in several patterns: Salami, Bierschinken, Mortadella und Blutwurst. (MINOR NOTE: Philosophers may dispute that a rug is the same thing as a carpet. They are welcome to get in touch with the manufacturer and discuss that question.) (Thanks to Chris […]
The falling cat experiment
In discussing Reto Schneider’s book of weird experiments, we forgot to mention that Schneider’s site includes a histrical video snippet of the falling cats experiment. That experiment, of course, has a later echo in a certain article that appeared in (and on the cover of) the July/August 1998 issue of the Annals of Improbable Research.
Stir crazy
Some people collect birds’ eggs, some collect stamps, some the scalps of their enemies. I collect scientists’ best rituals for preparing tea or coffee. Under the rubric Project Cuppa, this endeavour is only two months old. Yet already it is revealing wonders…. So begins this week’s Improbable Research column in The Guardian
The book of weird experiments
Reto Schneider’s book of weird experiments is weirdly sublime. Schneider’s web site (www.weirdexperiments.com is the English-language version / http://www.verrueckte-experimente.de is the German-language version) gives generous excerpts. It also has some of the most gripping science video clips in existence. Among them are: – the first meeting of a robot dog and real dog – the […]
Dine with an Ig winner?
It sounds too magical to be true (and who knows, maybe it will turn out to be just a scam?), but for fans of 1995 Ig Nobel Economics Prize co-winner Nick Leeson, the prospect is exciting. According to an advertisement by an organization called SupperWithTheStars, you can rent a meal with him. Leeson, of course, […]
Why did the chicken machine….
"LIFE JUST GOT EASIER!" is the claim from BrightCoop company, manufacturer of the E-Z Catch chicken harvester machine. They illustrate their thinking with a video of the device in action. (For technical details, see the patent for it — U.S. patent number 6,612,918.) This incomparable machine can ALMOST be likened to the SSI shredding machine, […]