PLEASE FORWARD/POST AS APPROPRIATE ================================================================ mini-Annals of Improbable Research ("mini-AIR") Issue Number 2003-07 July, 2003 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 ================================================================ ----------------------------- 2003-07-01 TABLE OF CONTENTS 2003-07-01 Table of Contents 2003-07-02 What's New in the Magazine 2003-07-03 Psychiatric Correctness Survey #86 2003-07-04 More 2 to 23 2003-07-05 Ig Nobel News 2003-07-06 Flat, Flat, Flat 2003-07-07 Child Load Poets Lamented 2003-07-08 BS 2003-07-09 Ferret Toss Limerick Contest 2003-07-10 Big Hair News 2003-07-11 RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT: Effusive Canine 2003-07-12 The Sad Decline of Napoleon 2003-07-13 BURSTS OF HotAIR: Election, DNA, and Snoozing 2003-07-14 MAY WE RECOMMEND: Confusing String, Mussel Wrestling 2003-07-15 AIRhead Events 2003-07-16 How to Subscribe to AIR (*) 2003-07-17 Our Address (*) 2003-07-18 Please Forward/Post This Issue! (*) 2003-07-19 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 ---------------------------------------------------------- 2003-07-02 What's New in the Magazine Volume 9, number 4 (July/August 2003) of the Annals of Improbable Research (AIR) is the special CHICKEN & FISH issue. Highlights include: <> "Which Came First, the Chicken or the Egg?" by Alice Shirrell Kaswell. An experiment has provided a clear answer to a longstanding question. <> "Chicken Research Review," by Rose C. Klassis. The author cites compelling research reports by, for, or about chickens. <> "Don't Fancy Yours Much - Mine's the Big Bird With the Long Legs," by D. Charles Deeming. The co-winner of the Ig Nobel Biology Prize explains who, what where, when, why, and how. ...and much more. The issue will be leaving the printer and whisking itself off to subscribers in somewhat early August. The complete table of contents can be perused at ---------------------------------------------------------- 2003-07-03 Psychiatric Correctness Survey #86 Sometimes a headline says it all. The July 19, 2003 issue of the Washington Post contained this headline: Scientists Look for Safer Nut Sadly, the article turned out to be about legumes. Nevertheless, inspired by that, our PSYCHIATRIC CORRECTNESS SURVEY #86 asks the simple question: Psychiatrically speaking, should scientists look for a safer nut? Please send your answer (YES or NO), without comment, to SAFER NUT CORRECTNESS SURVEY c/o ---------------------------------------------------------- 2003-07-04 More 2 to 23 Last month we cited a press release that included the memorable range of values 2 to 23. Here are some of the many others places 2 to 23 turns up. VACCINATION AGES The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and other organizations recommend that pneumococcal vaccinations be given to children ages 2-23 months. (Thanks to investigator Ann M. Hake for bringing this to our attention.) ZINC ORE Ore in the Mount Garnet Zinc Skarn Deposit "occurs as one or more steeply-dipping zones ranging from two to 23 metres wide, generally occupying the central portion of the skarn horizon," according to an article in the January 2001 issue of Journal of Applied Geoscientific Research and Practice in Australia. (Thanks to hyphenated investigator Russell Mortishire- Smith for bringing this to our attention.) See: SOUP BEANS The number of different kinds of beans used in bean soup ranges from 2 to 23, at least according to an article published in AIR. (Thanks to investigator Peg Whitten for pointing out what should have been obvious to us.) See: TELEPHONERS Page 66 of the California Public Utilities Commission Telecommunications Tariff specifies that the "Conference Calling Service allows a VT Customer to hold conversations and/or meetings with two (2) to twenty-three (23) other involved parties within California." (Thanks to investigator Graham de Vahl Davis for bringing this to our attention.) See: ---------------------------------------------------------- 2003-07-05 Ig Nobel News TICKETS -- Tickets for the 13th First Annual Ig Nobel Prize Ceremony go on sale August 1, from the Harvard Box Office (Telephone 617-496-2222, open noon to 6 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays). Details are at . The ceremony will be at Sanders Theatre on Thursday evening, October 2, 2003. NEW BOOK -- We are pleased to announce that the U.S. edition of the book "The Ig Nobel Prizes" will be out in September, published by E.P. Dutton. You can pre-purchase copies at the AIR web site. PAST WINNERS UPDATE -- Various news reports say that the SARS virus apparently jumped to human beings from the palm civet, an animal native to certain regions of Asia. It has gone virtually unreported that the palm civet, also known as the "luak," is the same species of cat that processes coffee beans to produce LUAK COFFEE, the reputedly-delicious substance that was the subject of the 1995 IG NOBEL NUTRITION PRIZE ... Takara Company, co-winner of the 2002 IG NOBEL PEACE PRIZE -- for inventing the computer-based dog-language-to-human-language translation device called Bow- Lingual -- has just announced a further advance in technology: a cat-to-human translation device called Meow-Lingual. ---------------------------------------------------------- 2003-07-06 Flat, Flat, Flat The complete article "Kansas Is Flatter Than a Pancake," which was published recently in AIR, is now also posted on the web site, at ---------------------------------------------------------- 2003-07-07 Child Load Poets Lamented The judges in the first and last annual TAUNG CHILD LOAD LIMERICK COMPETITION have chosen the winners, each of whom in some sense explored the research report: "The Load of the Taung Child," L.R. Berger and R.J. Clarke, Nature, vol. 379, no. 29, 1996, p. 778. [See last month's mini-AIR for the full citation.] The winners each will receive a free, suitably weighty, possibly flighty, issue of the Annals of Improbable Research. Here are the poets and their limericks: INVESTIGATOR BEN MATTHEWS: An African species of raptor To the Taung child said, "I'll be your captor In small pieces you'd best Come away to my nest." And that's how the raptor kidnapped her. INVESTIGATOR GRAHAM LESTER: Quipped the eagle, "What fun it is when you Notice that this poor child's change of venue Marked the first human flight -- And to doubly delight: It's our first night with man in the menu" INVESTIGATOR LESLIE ROSENBLOOD: The question is whether it's legal For a raptor (perhaps a crowned eagle?) To collect as a toll A child who is whole Or in pieces the size of a sea gull. INVESTIGATOR WILLIAM SMITH: Hedenstrom's on the right track In giving this theory a whack. No -- no single, large eagle, (No matter how regal) Could carry out such an attack. INVESTIGATOR MEL DICKSON: Hedenstrom says we are wrong: A crowned eagle is not all that strong. We suggest that a mate helped distribute the weight To carry off poor kiddy Taung. ----------------------------------------------------------- 2003-07-08 BS For reasons that presumably are clear to them but are murky to us, several investigators have sent us notes that say: "I demand you use your influence to do something about" the fact that in libraries that use the Library of Congress Classification scheme, bibles are classified as BS. The Library of Congress classifications are listed at: ---------------------------------------------------------- 2003-07-09 Ferret Toss Limerick Contest We invite you to enter the first and last annual FERRET TOSS LIMERICK COMPETITION, for the best (NEWLY composed!) limerick that elucidates this research report, which was brought to our attention by investigator Laurie Molinas: "Pharmacological Aspects of Ipecac Syrup (TJN-119)-Induced Emesis in Ferrets," T. Endo, M. Nemoto, T. Ogawa, H. Tamakai, N. Hamaue, M. Hirafuji , Y. Takeda, M. Hasegawa, Y. Fugii, and M. Minami, Research Communications in Molecular Pathology and Pharmacology, vol. 108, nos. 3-4, 2000, pp. 187-200. The authors are at Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, Japan. 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, anti-emesis-inducing issue of the Annals of Improbable Research. Send entries (one entry per entrant) to: FERRET TOSS LIMERICK CONTEST c/o ----------------------------------------------------------- 2003-07-10 Big Hair News The Luxuriant Flowing Hair Club for Scientists has a lovely bunch of new members. Their locks are on display at: ----------------------------------------------------------- 2003-07-11 RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT: Effusive Canine 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: "Studies of Oral Malodor in the Dog," J.M. Rawlings and N. Culham, Journal of Veterinary Dentistry, vol. 15, no. 4, December 1998, pp. 169-73. (Thanks to Jeannette Andrews for bringing this to our attention.) The authors are at the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, Leicestershire, U.K. ---------------------------------------------------------- 2003-07-12 The Sad Decline of Napoleon The emperor Napoleon has fallen from favor. As a result, our NAPOLEON IN MIND research project is a complete failure. We had planned to compile a complete guide to all documented cases of people who believe themselves to be the emperor Napoleon. To that end, last month we invited medical professionals to send info about any such individuals of whom they have first-hand knowledge, or to send citations of published medical reports of such cases. We received nothing but shadowy, nth-hand pseudo-not-quite- memories. And so, Napoleon has left the mental stage; he has been exiled even from the kingdom of the schizophrenics. ---------------------------------------------------------- 2003-07-13 BURSTS OF HotAIR: Election, DNA, and Snoozing Here are concise, flighty mentions of some of the features we've posted on HotAIR since last month's mini-AIR came out. See the whole list by clicking "WHAT'S NEW" at the web site, or go to: ==> Apoptosis -- Programmed Cell Phone Death ==> Who Should Win the 2004 U.S. Presidential Election? ==> Craig's DNA (with music) ==> More of "Trinkaus -- An Informal Look" ==> James Watson on staying awake in lectures THESE, AND MORE, ARE ON HOTAIR AT ----------------------------------------------------------- 2003-07-14 MAY WE RECOMMEND: Confusing String, Mussel Wrestling STRAND OF CONFUSION "Confusing the Heterotic String," D.L. Bennett, N. Brene, Leah Mizrachi, and H.B. Nielsen, Physical Letters, vol. B178, 1986, p. 179 ff. MUSCULAR STRUGGLE "Wresting the Muscle from Mussel Beards: Research and Applications," L.M. Rzepecki and J.H. Waite, Molecular Marine Biology and Biotechnology, vol. 4, no. 4, December 1995, pp. 313- 22. (Thanks to Chana Lajcher for bringing this to our attention.) ------------------------------------------------------------ 2003-07-15 AIRhead Events ==> For details and updates see ==> Want to host an event? 617-491-4437 13TH FIRST ANNUAL IG NOBEL PRIZE CEREMONY - THU, OCT 2, 2003 Sanders Theatre, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA INFO: IG INFORMAL LECTURES - SAT, OCT 4, 2003 Details TBA. ----------------- CALTECH, PASADENA, CALIFORNIA TUES, JANUARY 27, 2004 Details TBA. AAAS ANNUAL MEETING, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - FEBRUARY, 2004 Annual AIR special session as part of the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Details TBA. ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND - MARCH, 2004 IG NOBEL / AIR Tour will be a featured part of the UK's NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK.AIR editor MARC ABRAHAMS, numerous IG NOBEL WINNERS, and other of Britain's most and least celebrated scientist will do improbable public shows in various cities. Details TBA. -------------------------------------------------------------- 2003-07-16 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 ----------------------------------------------------- 2003-07-17 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: --------------------------- 2003-07-18 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 DISTRIBUTIVE 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 2003, Annals of Improbable Research ----------------------------------------------------- 2003-07-19 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. 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 ============================================================