PLEASE FORWARD/POST AS APPROPRIATE ================================================================ The mini-Annals of Improbable Research ("mini-AIR") Issue Number 2003-12 December, 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 ================================================================ ----------------------------- 2003-12-01 TABLE OF CONTENTS 2003-12-01 Table of Contents 2003-12-02 What's New in the Magazine 2003-12-03 Santa Indifference 2003-12-04 Cleansing Power 2003-12-05 Surprised Winners 2003-12-06 Megalomaniac Survey Results 2003-12-07 No Frogs 2003-12-08 Interleg Coupling Backward Poets 2003-12-09 Columnar Improbability 2003-11-10 SCIENTISTS NOW KNOW: Hairball Insight 2003-12-11 Investigative Credentials 2003-12-12 Further Tea Scum Limerick Contest 2003-12-13 Hladick, Hladick, Hladick, Hladick 2003-12-14 RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT: Elf Sparks 2003-12-15 BURSTS OF HotAIR: Again and again (and again) 2003-12-16 MAY WE RECOMMEND: On the Roof, Down the Drain 2003-12-17 AIRhead Events 2003-12-18 How to Subscribe to AIR (*) 2003-12-19 Our Address (*) 2003-12-20 Please Forward/Post This Issue! (*) 2003-12-21 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 ---------------------------------------------------------- 2003-12-02 What's New in the Magazine Volume 9, number 6 (November/December 2003) of the Annals of Improbable Research (AIR) is the special IG NOBEL issue. It will be emerging from the printer some time late this month. ---------------------------------------------------------- 2003-12-03 Santa Indifference Kids these days don't smile when they visit Santa Claus, according to research performed a few days ago by Ig Nobel Prize winner John W. Trinkaus. Professor Trinkaus observed children at two large shopping malls and a major department store, noting each child's facial expression as the children visited Santa Claus. Every child was accompanied by a parent or guardian. What Professor Trinkaus saw surprised and saddened him. More than 95 percent of the children were visibly indifferent or hesitant as they approached Santa. Only one percent of them smiled or showed other signs of happiness. On the other hand, Professor Trinkaus noted, nearly all of the parents were visibly quite happy and excited. For details of the Santa research, see ---------------------------------------------------------- 2003-12-04 Cleansing Power We received this note from one of the 2003 Ig Nobel Prize winners, and publish it as a quasi-public service: "This is a quick warning to all 2003 Ig Nobel winners: The precious award, the thing, it does not like water. When I ran from TV studio to TV studio (in the rain) with mine, the 'inscription' slowly blurred into a blackish mass of ink. So beware with rain, or if you want to make it shine, use some kind of dry cloth. There have been tremendous media attention so far." C.W.(Kees) Moeliker Natuurmuseum Rotterdam Rotterdam The Netherlands EDITOR'S NOTE, FOR ANYONE WHO IS SOMEHOW NOT YET AWARE OF THIS: Dr. Moeliker was awarded the Ig Nobel Biology Prize for documenting the first scientifically recorded case of homosexual necrophilia in the mallard duck. ---------------------------------------------------------- 2003-12-05 Surprised Winners On a related theme, though in an earlier month, we received this query: "My father bought me the 'Ig Nobel Prizes' book for Christmas and we were both rather surprised to discover his name within [Dr G. Terry -- UK]. It seems that as a result of being one of some 976 co-authors of a paper in the New Jersey [sic] Medical Journal he was awarded (along with half the world's cardiologists) the 1993 Ig Nobel Prize for Literature. What I was wondering was does this entitle him to some form of certificate? The reason I'm enquiring is that not only would any such award take pride of place on his office wall, but would no doubt provide additional reassurance to his patients." Best regards, Dr. Jon Terry University of Edinburgh EDITOR'S NOTE: As a result of Dr. Jon Terry's courageous inquiry, the Ig Nobel Board of Governors will prepare a special certificate for Dr. G. Terry, and one for each of his 975 co-winners. To receive a certificate, each individual must get in touch with us, supplying documentary evidence that she or he is a co-author. Please also supply a left thumb print. The address is: "I Am One of 976 Co-Authors" c/o Annals of Improbable Research PO Box 380853, Cambridge, MA 02238, USA ---------------------------------------------------------- 2003-12-06 Megalomaniac Survey Results Here are the results of this year's MEGALOMANIAC SURVEY (which was partially inspired, as always, by R.A. Cleghorn's classic paper, "Pitfalls in Thinking Big -- Megalomania"). The question was: All things considered, if you want your child to be a success, should you raise her or him to be a megalomaniac? Survey respondents replied in these proportions: YES -- 74% NO -- 26% Those with further interest may wish to consult a recent report: "Media Mania, Megalomania and Misleading Research: The Need for Caution in Scientific Publication," A. Higgins, Veterinary Journal, vol. 166, no. 3, November 2003, pp. 213-4. ----------------------------------------------------------- 2003-12-07 No Frogs Would the gentleman who mailed us the stuffed frogs please not mail us any more stuffed frogs? Thank you. ---------------------------------------------------------- 2003-12-08 Interleg Coupling Backward Poets The judges in the first and last annual INTERLEG COUPLING BACKWARD LOCOMOTION LIMERICK COMPETITION have chosen the winners, each of whom in some sense explored the research report (well, in this case, a book): "Reversal of Interleg Coupling in Backward Locomotion Implies a Prime Role of The Direction of Locomotion," D. Eilam, G. Shefer, Journal of Experimental Biology, vol. 173, December 1992, pp. 155-63. [for further details, see last month's mini-AIR] The winners each will receive a free, backward-coupled issue of the Annals of Improbable Research. Here are the poets and their limericks: INVESTIGATOR BARBARA ROBSON: Eilam has raised a commotion Reporting on rat locomotion: They manage reversal With little rehearsal. Now Eilam is seeking promotion. INVESTIGATOR BARRY CLARK: A tunneling species of rat, When grown uncommonly fat, Must have, so I fear, A good reverse gear, Or likely he's stuck where he's at. INVESTIGATOR WALTER BROWN: Eilam and Shefer have found That rats move two ways on the ground They go forward and back -- Reverse gear they don't lack. Such facts never fail to astound. ---------------------------------------------------------- 2003-12-09 Columnar Improbability We are not sure how this happened, but the editor of AIR and mini- AIR has begun also writing a weekly newspaper column. It is called "Improbable Research," and appears Tuesdays in the British newspaper "The Guardian." Links to the first several columns are at ---------------------------------------------------------- 2003-11-10 SCIENTISTS NOW KNOW: Hairball Insight The headline on the press release says it all: "Scientists Devise New Nutritional Solution for Cat Hairballs." An October 30, 2003 press release from the University of Wisconson, Madison, gives details, which you can read at . (Thanks to investigator Jim Propp for bringing this to our attention.) ---------------------------------------------------------- 2003-12-11 Investigative Credentials Every subscriber to the Annals of Improbable Research is now being issued credentials: an official Improbable Research Investigator card. If you are a subscriber, watch for yours in the mail soon. We trust they will prove useful. ---------------------------------------------------------- 2003-12-12 Further Tea Scum Limerick Contest We invite you to enter the first and last annual FURTHER TEA SCUM LIMERICK COMPETITION, for the best (NEWLY composed!) limerick that elucidates this research report, which was brought to our attention by investigator Ben Strulo: "Kinetics and Equilibria of Tea Infusion -- Part 13 -- Further Studies on Tea Scum: The Effects of Calcium carbonate, Lemon Juice and Sugar," Michael Spiro, Yuen Ying Chong, and Deogratius Jaganyi, Food Chemistry, vol 57, no 2, 1996, pp 295-8. 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, tea-stainable issue of the Annals of Improbable Research. Send entries (one entry per entrant) to: FURTHER TEA SCUM LIMERICK CONTEST c/o ---------------------------------------------------------- 2003-12-13 Hladick, Hladick, Hladick, Hladick A four-Hladick item now graces our ever-growing MULTIPLICITY OF MONIKERS COLLECTION. The collection includes research papers and books published by co-authors who share the same last name. This remarkable addition to the collection was sent in by investigator YANN BASSAGLIA: "L'OdyssŽe du Vivant" by Claude-Marcel Hladik, Annette Hladik, Jean Hladick, and Marie Hladick, in "Ellipses," 128 pages, ISBN 2-7298-1147-8. ----------------------------------------------------------- 2003-12-14 RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT: Elf Sparks 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: "Lightning Electric Field Intensity at High Altitudes: Inferences for Production of Elves," V. A. Rakov and W.G. Tuni, Journal of Geophysical Research, vol. 108, no. D20, October 2003. (Thanks to Tom Gill for bringing this to our attention.) The authors are at the University of Florida, Gainesville. ---------------------------------------------------------- 2003-12-15 BURSTS OF HotAIR: Again and again (and again) Here's some of what's new on our web site since last month's mini- AIR came out. See the whole list by clicking "WHAT'S NEW" at the web site, or go to: ==> The Psychology of Repetitive Reading ==> NOBEL THOUGHTS: Joseph Murray on Breakfast ==> The Psychology of Repetitive Reading ==> Solution to last month's puzzler ==> The Psychology of Repetitive Reading ==> New members of the Luxuriant Flowing Hair Club for Scientists. THESE, AND MORE, ARE ON HOTAIR AT ----------------------------------------------------------- 2003-12-16 MAY WE RECOMMEND: On the Roof, Down the Drain ON THE ROOF "Snow on Motor Vehicle Roofs: An Informal Look," John W. Trinkaus, Psychological Reports, vol. 92, no. 3, part 2, June 2003, pp. 1227-8. The 2003 Ig Nobel Literature Prize winner reports that: Following a snowstorm, a viewing of 4,347 moving noncommercial motor vehicles, which apparently had been outside during a storm, showed about 65% had roofs which had not been cleared of snow deposits -- with vans outnumbering cars by about 2 to 1. DOWN THE DRAIN "The Case for Evidence-Based Toilet Training," Edward R. Christophersen, Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, vol. 157, December 2003, pp. 1153-4. (Thanks to Kristine Danowski for bringing this to our attention.) ------------------------------------------------------------ 2003-12-17 AIRhead Events ==> For details and updates see ==> Want to host an event? 617-491-4437. ==> CALTECH, PASADENA, CALIFORNIA -- TUES, JAN 27, 2004 AAAS ANNUAL MEETING, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON -- FRI, FEB 13, 2004 WESTERN WASHINGTON U., BELLINGHAM, WA -- TUES, FEB 17, 2004 ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, IRELAND NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK IG NOBEL TOUR -- MARCH 10-21, 2004 Partial list of events: Thu Mar 11: Oxford Fri Mar 12: Nottingham Mon Mar 15: Glasgow Tue Mar 16: Exeter Wed Mar 17: Manchester Thu Mar 18: London Sat Mar 20: Birmingham COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY PRESIDENTS -- MAY 1 or 2 or 3, 2004 WASHINGTON, DC ASSOCIATION FOR INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH -- WED, JUNE 2,2004 ANNUAL MEETING, BOSTON, MA AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK TOUR -- AUG 2004 [Tentatively scheduled]. ALPBACH TECHNOLOGY FORUM, AUSTRIA -- AUG 26-28, 2004 ANNUAL IG NOBEL PRIZE CEREMONY -- THURS, SEP. 30, 2004 HARVARD UNIVERSITY IG INFORMAL LECTURES 2004 -- SAT, OCTOBER 2, 2004 MIT -------------------------------------------------------------- 2003-12-18 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 ----------------------------------------------------- 2003-12-19 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: --------------------------- 2003-12-20 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 ----------------------------------------------------- 2003-12-21 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 ============================================================