And the Award Goes To …

by Shelley Bueche

The Ig Nobel prizes are meant to celebrate the unusual, honor the imaginative and are to spur people’s interest in science, medicine and technology.  And the 2005 awards go to … (drum roll, please):

AGRICULTURAL HISTORY:  James Watson, for his study on the significance of Mr. Buckley’s exploding trousers.

PHYSICS:  John Mainstone and the late Thomas Parnell, for conducting an experiment that began in 1924, studying a blob of congealed tar that drops once every nine years.  Nothing like patience on the part of the scientist, is there?

MEDICINE:  Gregg Miller, for inventing Neuticles, artificial testicles for dogs.  In 3 sizes, in 3 degrees of firmness.  Presumably, these Neuticles are to help the self-esteem for neutered canines.

CHEMISTRY:  Edward Cussbert and Brian Gettelfinger, conducting an experiment to ascertain whether people swim faster in syrup or water?  Gee, how do I sign up for that one?

LITERATURE:  Sani Abacha and company, Internet entrepreneurs in Nigeria used a series of e-mail messages to deliver short stories to the masses.

FLUID DYNAMICS:  Victor Benno Meyer-Rocha and Jozsef Gal measured the pressure that builds up inside a penguin.  “Pressures Produced When Penguins Pooh—Calculations on Avian Defecation,” is the title of their report.  I don’t know about penguins, but I have plenty of material to research canine pooh.

For a complete list of winners and/or to nominate a candidate for 2006, visit:

www.improbable.com