PLEASE FORWARD/POST AS APPROPRIATE ================================================================ The mini-Annals of Improbable Research ("mini-AIR") Issue number 2005-08 August 2005 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 ================================================================ ----------------------------- 2005-08-01 TABLE OF CONTENTS 2005-08-02 Imminent Events 2005-08-03 What's New in the Magazine 2005-08-04 Who is Fledermausmensch? 2005-08-05 The Blaster, and South African Road Rage 2005-08-06 Five-Patels Limerick Competition 2005-08-07 Six-Patels Query 2005-08-08 Koffka/Kafka Kompetition Results 2005-08-09 Pi Spouter Sought 2005-08-10 Ig Nobel Tix 2005-08-11 Fresh Heads of Hair 2005-08-12 RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT: The Path of the Shopper 2005-08-13 On Our Blog 2005-08-14 MAY WE RECOMMEND: Too Swell, Social Sniff 2005-08-15 Improbable Research Events 2005-08-16 How to Subscribe to AIR (*) 2005-08-17 Our Address (*) 2005-08-18 Please Forward/Post This Issue! (*) 2005-08-19 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 ---------------------------------------------------------- 2005-08-02 Imminent Events - Seattle and New York CASCADIACON, SEATTLE SEPT 1-4, 2005 PAUL SMITH'S COLLEGE, NY SEPT 21, 2005 ---------------------------------------------------------- 2005-08-03 What's New in the Magazine The July/August issue (vol. 11, no. 4) of the Annals of Improbable Research is the special SNAILS & COOKIES issue. Non-snail/non- cookie highlights include: <> "Slug Research Review," compiled by Nan Swift and Jessica Girard <> "Other Einsteins (Part 4)," by A.S. Kaswell, with Jessica Girard <> "The Name Number(s) for Political Science," by Richard Niemi and much more... The entire table of contents is, and several of the articles are, at ---------------------------------------------------------- 2005-08-04 Who is Fledermausmensch? Who is Fledermausmensch? The word "batman" translates into German as "Fledermausmensch." Please help us identify the one, true Fledermausmensch. Here are the few things we know about Fledermausmensch. He or she: (1) is real, not fictional (2) is a supreme expert on bats (3) is either is German or Austrian or has some other strong connection to German bats, language, science, and/or culture If you have info that can help us identify and honor Fledermausmensch, please send it to: WHO IS FLEDERMAUSMENSCH? c/o ---------------------------------------------------------- 2005-08-05 The Blaster, and South African Road Rage "South African drivers are the worst road rage offenders in the world, an international survey has found." So says an August 18 report by the BBC. This information illuminates the importance of the research work of Charl Fourie and Michele Wong. Fourie and Wong were awarded with the 1999 Ig Nobel Peace Prize for inventing an automobile burglar alarm consisting of a detection circuit and a flamethrower. The device is named "The Blaster." A brief CNN news video of the device in action can be seen at The Blaster was banned from sale almost immediately after it was put on the market. ---------------------------------------------------------- 2005-08-06 Five-Patels Limerick Competition This month's limerick competition involves a five-Patel paper that was spotted by investigator FrŽdŽric Glasser. (The paper is also now part of our Multiplicity of Monikers Collection). Please submit an original (by you, done now, of good quality) limerick that elucidates this study: "Physico-Chemical Characteristics and Fatty Acid Composition of Milk Fat of Krankrej Cows, II. Effect of Dietary Conditions," G.K. Patel, M.J. Patel, R.M. Patel, K.C. Patel and R.D. Patel, Fat Science Technology, vol. 91, no. 4, 1989, pp. 164-7. The winner will receive a free issue of the Annals of Improbable Research. Please submit your entry to: FIVE-PATELS LIMERICK COMPETITION c/o ---------------------------------------------------------- 2005-08-07 Six-Patels Query If there exists a six-Patels research report, we would enjoy hearing about it. Please send the complete citation, if such there be, to FIVE-PATELS PAPER SEARCH c/o ---------------------------------------------------------- 2005-08-08 Koffka/Kafka Kompetition Results The judges have identified a winner for the Koffka/Kafka Kompetition, which asked competitors to compare and contrast, in limerick form: KURT KOFFKA, the gestalt psychologist versus FRANZ KAFKA, the novelist The winner is INVESTIGATOR FREDERICK CREWS, who points out that his last nine words should, ideally, be printed sideways: Kurt Koffka gave a lecture in the hall: "Perception Isn't Partial, It Is All." "That's fine for you," said Samsa, "Or a walrus or a hamsta, But what if you're an insect on the wall?" And here are two views on the subject from IMPROBABLE LIMERICK LAUREATE, MARTIN EIGER: Franz Kafka's an author of fiction. He suffered most every affliction. He authored "The Trial," Then died. All the while, Gestalt was Kurt Koffka's conviction. Suppose that, some day, you became A hideous vermin. I claim That Koffka would bill you, But Kafka would kill you. The same name? Not quite. That's the game. ---------------------------------------------------------- 2005-08-09 Pi Spouter Sought Can you spout at least a thousand digits of the number pi, without resorting to notes or prompts? If so, and if you will be in Cambridge, Massachusetts on Thursday evening, October 6, and if you would like to be part of the Fifteenth 1st Annual Ig Nobel Prize Ceremony, please get in touch with us ASAP. ---------------------------------------------------------- 2005-08-10 Ig Nobel Tix Tickets for the Ig Nobel Prize ceremony are now on sale from the Harvard Box office: Telephone: (+1) 617-496-2222. The Ig home page is ---------------------------------------------------------- 2005-08-11 Fresh Heads of Hair The Luxuriant Flowing Hair Club for Scientists (LFHCfS) has several new, impressively tressed members. Admire them at ---------------------------------------------------------- 2005-08-12 RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT: The Path of the Shopper Each month we select for your special attention a research report that seems especially worth a close read. This month's pick: "An Exploratory Look at Supermarket Shopping Paths," Jeffrey S. Larson, Eric T. Bradlow and Peter S. Fader, International Journal of Marketing Research, 2005. The authors, who are at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, describe their study: How do shoppers really travel through the store? Do they go through every aisle, or do they skip from one area to another in a more direct manner? ... No, Figure 1 does not represent the random scribblings of a kindergartener. It is a subset of the PathTracker(r) data collected by Sorensen Associates, an in-store research firm, for the purpose of understanding shopper behavior in the supermarket. Figure 1, a plot of the paths of 20 shoppers, is visually entrancing. The entire paper is online at ---------------------------------------------------------- 2005-08-13 On Our Blog Here are some recent topics (a new one appears every weekday) in our blog: Intelligent design and nukes Top physicists' tops Undercover policewomen-hookers' info needs A poem that cuts two ways ... and many others Read the blog via ----------------------------------------------------------- 2005-08-14 MAY WE RECOMMEND: Too Swell, Social Sniff TOO SWELL? NECKTIE "Cure of Elephantiasis of the Penis. Necktie Procedure" [article in French], G. Pieters and W. Le Maire, Annales de la Societe Belge de Medecine Tropicale, vol. 39, October 31, 1959, pp. 781-3. SOCIABILITY AND SNIFFING "Responsivity to Two Odorants, Androstenone and Amyl Acetate, and the Affective Impact of Odors on Interpersonal Relationships," John D. Pierce, Jr., Adam B. Cohen and Patricia M. Ulrich, Journal of Comparative Psychology, vol. 118, no. 1, March 2004, pp. 14-9. (Thanks to Kristine Danowski for bringing this to our attention.) ------------------------------------------------------------ 2005-08-15 Improbable Research Events ==> For details and updates see ==> ==> Want to host an event? See: ==> CASCADIACON, SEATTLE -- THURS, SEPT 1 - MON, SEPT 5, 2005 PAUL SMITH'S COLLEGE, PAUL SMITHS, NY WED, SEPT 21, 2005 AIR editor MARC ABRAHAMS will discuss the Ig Nobel Prizes. FIFTEENTH 1ST ANNUAL IG NOBEL PRIZE CEREMONY -- OCT 6, 2005 Sanders Theatre, Harvard University, 7:30 PM Tickets will go on sale August 5. IG INFORMAL LECTURES -- OCT 8, 2005 MIT, room 10-250. 1:30 PM. QUEBEC -- NOV 17-18, 2005 -------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------- 2005-08-16 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 ----------------------------------------------------- 2005-08-17 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: ----------------------------------------------------- 2005-08-18 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 2005, Annals of Improbable Research ----------------------------------------------------- 2005-08-19 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. 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