Since David B. Busch and James R. Starling, won the 1995 Ig Nobel Literature prize for their deeply penetrating 1986 research report, “Rectal foreign bodies: Case Reports and a Comprehensive Review of the World’s Literature” the body of literature on the subject and the number of cases has increased considerably. By 2012, no less than […]
A(nother) new kind of underpants (US patent)
UK-based inventor Paul O’Leary has received (as of 20th Jan 2015) a US patent for his ‘Underwear Garment’ “A significant amount of effort has been expended into research of clothing and, in particular, the aspects of underwear garments which help to promote confidence and self-esteem within a wearer. Such research and development has typically centred […]
How to write an “editor’s note” (about nudie musicals in 1970s New York City)
A good editor’s note clarifies something vital that some readers might (without guidance from the editor) overlook or under-appreciate, or that some lawyer insists on having stated explicitly. New editors can learn the art of writing editor’s notes by studying classic examples. Here is one such example: [Editor’s note: This post contains numerous hyperlinks to video […]
Of Sketchy Perception in a Monty Python Sketch
Not noticing something that’s right before your eyes? Happens all the time. The phenomenon fueled the 2004 Ig Nobel Prize-winning invisible-gorilla research of Americans Chris Chabris and Dan Simons. Now, two researchers in the UK point to a stark example in a Monty Python sketch: “And now for something completely different: Inattentional blindness during a […]