PLEASE FORWARD/POST AS APPROPRIATE ================================================================ The mini-Annals of Improbable Research ("mini-AIR") Issue number 2004-06 June 2004 ISSN 1076-500X Key words: improbable research, science humor, Ig Nobel, AIR, the ---------------------------------------------------------------- A free newsletter of tidbits too tiny to fit in the Annals of Improbable Research (AIR), the journal of inflated research and personalities ================================================================ ----------------------------- 2004-06-01 TABLE OF CONTENTS 2004-06-01 Table of Contents 2004-06-02 What's New in the Magazine 2004-06-03 RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT: Staring and Blushing 2004-06-04 Frog 2004-06-05 Nano Name Correction 2004-06-06 Walked Knots Correction 2004-06-07 Sorgenfrey-Line Poet 2004-06-08 It's... It's... 2004-06-09 Pigeon-vs.-Missile Survey 2004-06-10 Gumming-Up-the-Works Limerick Contest 2004-06-11 On the Blog 2004-06-12 MAY WE RECOMMEND: Gnome, Nostril, Ides of June 2004-06-13 AIRhead Events 2004-06-14 How to Subscribe to AIR (*) 2004-06-15 Our Address (*) 2004-06-16 Please Forward/Post This Issue! (*) 2004-06-17 How to Receive mini-AIR, etc. (*) Items marked (*) are reprinted in every issue. mini-AIR is a free monthly *e-supplement* to AIR, the print magazine ---------------------------------------------------------- 2004-06-02 What's New in the Magazine The May/June issue (vol. 10, no. 3) is the special "LOSS OF INNOCENCE" issue. Highlights include: <> "Hiawatha's Valence Bonding," an epic poem by R.B. Laughlin, complete with drawings and vitriol. Hiawatha, undismembered, with his illustrations, is also posted on our web site, at . <> "Integrated Pest Management of Manifestations as Infestations, by Sally Y. Shelton, John E. Simmons and Tom J. K. Strang. This article, too, is also posted on our web site, at . <> ... and many others... The table of contents is online at ----------------------------------------------------------- 2004-06-03 RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT: Staring and Blushing Each month we select for your special attention a research report that seems especially worth a close read. Your librarian will enjoy being asked (loudly, so other library patrons can hear it) for a copy. Here is this month's Pick-of-the-Month: "Staring at One Side of the Face Increases Blood Flow on That Side of the Face," Peter D. Drummond and Nadia Mirco, Psychophysiology, vol. 41, no. 2, March 2004, pp. 281-7. (Thanks to David Travis for bringing this to our attention.) The authors, who are at Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, explain that: "To investigate the effect of observation on blushing, an experimenter sat next to 28 participants and looked closely at one cheek while the participant sang (embarrassing) or read aloud (not embarrassing). Increases in cheek temperature were greater on the observed than the unobserved side during both tasks. ... These findings suggest that staring at one side of the face triggers an ipsilateral increase in facial blood flow." ----------------------------------------------------------- 2004-06-04 Frog "Is this real?" is the question asked of us yesterday and today by several correspondents. They are referring to a BBC news report headlined: "Iranian woman 'gives birth to frog" You can read that BBC report at What is our response? Having only minimal information, we cannot say for sure whether it is real. But we hope so. (Thanks to the several investigators who brought this to our attention, and especially to someone who describes herself as "a concerned family neighbor.") ----------------------------------------------------------- 2004-06-05 Nano Name Correction Last month we misspelled the name of Albanian Prime Minister Fatos Nano. Was this intentional? Nah. No. We apologize to all the friends and admirers of Prime Minister Nano who took the time and trouble to write us about it and express their love for Prime Minister Nano and (in one case, anyway) for nano-technology. ----------------------------------------------------------- 2004-06-06 Walked Knots Correction Investigator Ben Weiss writes in to correct an oversight in last month's mini-AIR: Upon reading the winning entries for the Walked Knots limerick contest, I must politely disagree with your choice of ranking. It should have been a tie. ---------------------------------------------------------- 2004-06-07 Sorgenfrey-Line Poet The judges in the first and last annual SORGENFREY-LINE LIMERICK COMPETITION have chosen the winner, who in some sense explored the research report: "Subspaces of the Sorgenfrey Line," Dennis K. Burke and Justin Tatch Moore, Topology and its Applications, vol. 90, nos. 1-3, 1998, pp. 57-68. The winner will receive a free, subspace issue of the Annals of Improbable Research. Here is the triumphant poet and his limerick: INVESTIGATOR STUART HERRING: The Sorgenfrey Line, in topology, Is known for its self-dense morphology. It's explained in the work Of J. Moore and D. Burke, (Though rife with arcane terminology). ----------------------------------------------------------- 2004-06-08 It's... It's... What happens when one Ig Nobel Literature Prize winner's beliefs conflict with those of another Ig Nobel Literature Prize winner? We may soon to find out. 2000 winner Jasmuheen won her Prize for her book "Living on Light," which explains that although some people do eat food, they don't ever really need to). She has just published a flyer promoting her October 2004 tour. See it at The flyer's headline reads: Jasmuheen - 2004 The Law of Love $ ITS' FABULOUS FREQUENCY OF FUN AND FREEDOM The spelling I-T-S-apostrophe is innovative. However, this spelling falls outside the strictures set forth by 2001 Literature Prize winner John Richards, founder of the Apostrophe Protection Society (an organization that aims to protect, promote, and defend the differences between plural and possessive). We are eager to see how this intellectual collision will play out. ----------------------------------------------------------- 2004-06-09 Pigeon-vs.-Missile Survey This month's ADVANCED-TECHNOLOGY-ASSESSMENT SURVEY presents two important projects, and asks you to vote on which of the two has better prospects. CHOICE A is the British Strategic Pigeon Initiative. BACKGROUND: A recent BBC news report about it begins: "British spy chiefs secretly considered training pigeons to fly into enemy targets carrying explosives or biological weapons, it has been revealed." See the entire report at: CHOICE B is the American Strategic Missile Defense Initiative. BACKGROUND: See contrasting views from the Missile Defense Agency: and from the Union of Concerned Scientists: Please vote, preferably without comment, for ONE of these choices: THE QUESTION: Technically speaking, which project has the better chance of reliably working as promised? CHOICE A) The British Strategic Pigeon Initiative CHOICE B) The American Strategic Missile Defense Initiative Send your vote to: PIGEON-VS.-MISSILE SURVEY c/o/ ----------------------------------------------------------- 2004-06-10 Gumming-Up-the-Works Limerick Contest We invite you to enter the first and last annual GUMMING-UP-THE- WORKS LIMERICK COMPETITION, for the best (NEWLY composed!) limerick that elucidates this research report, "Adult Sudden Death Caused by Aspiration of Chewing Gum," S.N. Njau, Forensic Science International, vol. 139, nos. 2-3, January 28, 2004, pp. 103-6. The author, who is at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, reports that: "A 24-year-old white male died suddenly. A piece of chewing gum lodged in a pool of frothy fluid was revealed at autopsy. ... No alcohol or other drugs were detected in blood or urine." RULES: Please make sure your rhymes actually do, and that your limerick at least pretends to adhere to classic limerick form. PRIZE: The winning poet will receive a free, unchewed issue of the Annals of Improbable Research. Send entries (one entry per entrant) to: GUMMING-UP-THE-WORKS LIMERICK CONTEST c/o ---------------------------------------------------------- 2004-06-11 On the Blog Here are some recent topics (a new one appears every weekday) in our blog: Troy Hurtubise's Blast Cushion Snails in Mid-Air National Institute of Smart Government Photos from the Ig Tour of the U.K. and Ireland Study, Study, Play, Play Clean Sex Bischinger: In Your Nose Reach the blog via ----------------------------------------------------------- 2004-06-12 MAY WE RECOMMEND: Gnome, Nostril, Ides of June SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT "Gnome-Respiration Bag According to Seeler-Sohngen with Silicon Flapper" [article in German], Der Landarzt, vol. 42, no. 6, February 1966, p. 18. HALF-NOSE TECHNIQUE "Review of Some Sex-Related Effects of Forced Unilateral Nostril Breathing on the Autonomic Nervous System," S. Dane, Perceptual and Motor Skills, vol. 98, no. 2, April 2004, pp. 736-8. -IDE -IDE -IDE GUIDE "The 2003 Newly Revised Insecticide, Herbicide, Fungicide Quick Guide," by B.G. Page and W.T. Thomson, Thomson Publishing, Fresno, California. (Thanks to Nikki Bowen for bringing this to our attention.) ------------------------------------------------------------ 2004-06-13 AIRhead Events ==> For details and updates see ==> Want to host an event? 617-491-4437. ==> AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK TOUR -- AUG. 2004 Ig Nobel events are scheduled for Sydney, Perth, Alice Springs, Canberra, Victoria, and Tasmania. Details to be announced soon. INFO: Liz Roche ALPBACH TECHNOLOGY FORUM, AUSTRIA -- AUG. 26-28, 2004 ANNUAL IG NOBEL PRIZE CEREMONY -- THURS, SEP. 30, 2004 HARVARD UNIVERSITY IG INFORMAL LECTURES 2004 -- SAT, OCT. 2, 2004 MIT WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY, DETROIT, MI -- FRI, OCT. 29, 2004 9:00 AM AIR editor MARC ABRAHAMS will be the keynote speaker at the Undergraduate Research Conference. IG NOBEL TOUR OF THE U.K. AND IRELAND FOR NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK -- MAR. 11-20, 2005 BOSTON MUSEUM OF SCIENCE -- APR. 1, 2005 CASCADIACON, SEATTLE -- THURS, SEPT 1 - MON, SEPT. 5, 2005 North American Science Fiction Convention. AIR editor MARC ABRAHAMS will be the Science Guest of Honor INFO: http://www.cascadiacon.org -------------------------------------------------------------- 2004-06-14 How to Subscribe to AIR (*) Here's how to subscribe to the magnificent bi-monthly print journal The Annals of Improbable Research (the real thing, not just the little bits of overflow material you've been reading in this newsletter). ................................................................ Name: Address: Address: City and State: Zip or postal code: Country Phone: FAX: E-mail: ................................................................ SUBSCRIPTIONS (6 issues per year): USA 1 yr/$29 2 yrs/$53 Canada/Mexico 1 yr/$33 US 2 yrs/$57 US Overseas 1 yr/$45 US 2 yrs/$82 US ................................................................ BACK ISSUES are available, too: First issue: $8 USA, $11 Canada/Mex, $16 overseas Add'l issues purchased at same time: $6 each ................................................................ Send payment (US bank check, or international money order, or Visa, Mastercard or Discover info) to: Annals of Improbable Research (AIR) PO Box 380853, Cambridge, MA 02238 USA 617-491-4437 FAX:617-661-0927 ----------------------------------------------------- 2004-06-15 Our Address (*) Annals of Improbable Research (AIR) PO Box 380853, Cambridge, MA 02238 USA 617-491-4437 FAX:617-661-0927 EDITORIAL: marca@chem2.harvard.edu SUBSCRIPTIONS: air@improbable.com WEB SITE: --------------------------- 2004-06-16 Please Forward/Post This Issue! (*) Please distribute copies of mini-AIR (or excerpts!) wherever appropriate. The only limitations are: A) Please indicate that the material comes from mini-AIR. B) You may NOT distribute mini-AIR for commercial purposes. ------------- mini-AIRheads ------------- EDITOR: Marc Abrahams (marca@chem2.harvard.edu) MINI-PROOFREADER AND PICKER OF NITS (before we introduce the last few at the last moment): Wendy Mattson WWW EDITOR/GLOBAL VILLAGE IDIOT: Amy Gorin (airmaster@improbable.com) COMMUTATIVE EDITOR: Stanley Eigen (eigen@neu.edu) ASSOCIATIVE EDITOR: Mark Dionne PSYCHOLOGY EDITOR: Robin Abrahams CO-CONSPIRATORS: Alice Shirrell Kaswell, Gary Dryfoos, Ernest Ersatz, S. Drew MAITRE DE COMPUTATION: Jerry Lotto AUTHORITY FIGURES: Nobel Laureates Dudley Herschbach, Sheldon Glashow, William Lipscomb, Richard Roberts (c) copyright 2004, Annals of Improbable Research ----------------------------------------------------- 2004-06-17 How to Receive mini-AIR, etc. (*) What you are reading right now is mini-AIR. Mini-AIR is a (free!) tiny monthly *supplement* to the bi-monthly print magazine. To subscribe, send a brief E-mail message to: LISTPROC@AIR.HARVARD.EDU The body of your message should contain ONLY the words SUBSCRIBE MINI-AIR MARIE CURIE (You may substitute your own name for that of Madame Curie.) ---------------------------- To stop subscribing, send the following message: SIGNOFF MINI-AIR ============================================================