igNobels 2009

Cosmic Variance
By John Conway
Oct 2, 2009 4:46 AMNov 20, 2019 2:38 AM

Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news
 

The prizes were awarded this evening at Harvard's annual IgNobel Prize ceremony. This year's theme was "Risk". Among the winners are: Veterinary Medicine: Catherine Bertenshaw and Peter Rowlinson, Newcastle, for showing that cows who have names give more milk than nameless cows. (Not sure what that has to do with risk...) Peace: Stefan Bolliger (sp?), et al., Univ. of Bern, Switzerland, for determining whether it is better to be smashed over the head with a full or empty bottle of beer. (The empty ones work better!) Public Health: Ilena Badnar of the University of Chicago for inventing a brassiere that can be converted to a pair of gas masks. Paul Krugman with a pink bra cup on his face...woah. Biology: Fumiyake Yamaguchi et al. for demonstrsating that the feces of giant pandas can be used to reduce kitchen waste by 90%. It's great that Little Miss Sweetie Poo keeps the speeches short by running up and yelling "please stop! I'm bored!" Hopefully the whole list and the video will be up on their web site soon!

1 free article left
Want More? Get unlimited access for as low as $1.99/month

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

1 free articleSubscribe
Discover Magazine Logo
Want more?

Keep reading for as low as $1.99!

Subscribe

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

More From Discover
Stay Curious
Join
Our List

Sign up for our weekly science updates.

 
Subscribe
To The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Copyright © 2025 LabX Media Group