| Ignobel Prizes 2004 awarded On the eve of the presentation of the most honorable awards in the field of science - the Nobel Prizes - Harvard hosted its 14th annual ceremony honoring the authors of the most dubious scientific achievements. The Ig Noble prize was established by the Annals of Improbable Research magazine back in 1991. The award ceremony, which has already become a good tradition, is carried out by real Nobel Prize laureates, albeit dressed in wigs and clown glasses with big noses. The laureates are awarded a medallion made by hand from foil and a special certificate. This time, not only scientists, but also a public organization, a large company and even an entire state became the Ignobelevka laureates.
The ceremony began with the announcement of the winners in the “medicine” category. The Ignobel laureates were Americans Stephen Stack and James Gundlach, who discovered a direct relationship between the percentage of suicides and the amount of country music on the radio. In physics, the winners were Ramesh Balasubramaniam and Michael Turvey from the Universities of Ottawa and Yell for their study of the dynamics of the human body while rotating a hula hoop. In the “public health” category, the award was given to Gillian Clarke for her scientific substantiation of the “five second rule”, better known in Russia as “quickly picked up does not eat fallen”, according to which food products that fall on a dirty floor but are quickly picked up can be safely recovered. eat. The jury also appreciated the breakthrough in engineering made by Frank and Donald Smith from Florida. Father and son have patented a special hairstyle for men that disguises receding hairline.
The Literary Award recognized the work of members of the American Nudist Research Library, who compiled their History of Nudism in such a way that it should not be read, but only watched. Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris received the Psychology Prize for demonstrating their discovery. Scientists have clearly demonstrated that even a very concentrated person’s attention can easily be switched to another object if a person in a gorilla suit enters the room. The Special Peace Prize was awarded to the Japanese inventor of karaoke, Daisuke Inue. According to the authoritative opinion of the jury, karaoke teaches people “tolerance and tolerance” towards their neighbors. In the field of biology, a serious study by a whole group of scientists from Canada, Denmark and Sweden on the methods of communication of herring was highly praised. Scientists have found that fish communicate with each other using gas bubbles emitted from the anus.
The successes of the British branch of the Coca-Cola Company in the field of chemistry were also appreciated. The company became the Ignobel laureate “for using advanced technology to transform the waters of the Thames into a substance hazardous to health.” The reason for this decision was the company's recall of a batch of bottled drinking water, the purification of which using the latest technology led to the ingress of chemicals hazardous to health.
And finally, for the first time in the history of the Ignobel Prize, an entire state became its laureate. The winner in the economics category was recognized by the Vatican “for outsourcing prayers to India.” In economics, outsourcing refers to the transfer of production to countries where work is cheaper. However, if until now outsourcing was used mainly to bring high-tech production to third world countries, now the Vatican has adapted this financial scheme for worship. There is a shortage of Catholic priests in the United States, so ordering a Mass has become a big problem, and if you can do it, it is not cheap. Now you can order a Mass for just 5-10 dollars by e-mail, without leaving your home. True, she will serve not in the USA, but in India, where such work as a priest is valued at only 40 rupees. Alexander GUDKOV |
|
