Harvard University hosted the 27th annual ceremony of awarding scientists the IG Nobel prize (in the original: Ig Nobel). “Nobelevku” is awarded to scholars whose works represent questionable value for the world of science. On the other hand, if on some research simply from the heart laugh, others are quite capable to force to think seriously. What has pleased us with the ceremony this year? We have specially selected for you the most unusual winners.
We remind you that each winner receives from the organizers 10 trillion Zimbabwean dollars. The awards were presented this year honoured Nobel laureates Eric Maskin (Economics), Oliver HART (Economics) and Rowe Glauber (physics). At the acceptance speech of every winner was given only 60 seconds of time, after which a specially trained 8-year-old girl uttered a test sentence: “Please stop! I’m bored!”.
The prize in physics this year won the cat. Where would our Pets may climb in boxes, jars, narrow openings – they always take the ideal form of this space. Scientist Marc-Antoine Fardin in their study on rheology proved that cats – not that other as a liquid. The researcher also notes that adult males “flow” much faster than little kittens.
The peace prize was awarded to a group of researchers who managed to prove that playing the didgeridoo (a wind instrument of the Australian aborigines) helps people cope with snoring. Suffering from snoring, obstructive sleep apnea, stops breathing while sleeping only 5-6 times a week for 25 minutes to play this instrument. After that, the frequency of attacks decreases drastically.
Economic award of the departed scientist, revealed the connection between crocodiles and gambling. As it turned out, people who for some time had contact with a crocodile (just to hold a small specimen in hand), started later to make a much more impressive rate in gambling than those who from communicating with the reptile refused. Scientists explain that emotional arousal from contact with the predator generates in people the illusion of future victory.
Prize for research in the field of anatomy has given scientist James Hethcote, which proved that a person’s ears continue to grow every year. For many years he examined a control group of people aged 30 to 93 years, and came to the conclusion that their ears increased approximately 0.2 millimeter per year.
Prize for biology grabbed a group of researchers clear about the definition, why are the insects of the genus Neotrogla, living in caves, changed gender roles. The females grew a penis and the males, on the contrary, got vaginas. And for fertilization is still responsible male. This is the only known to mankind the kind of living beings, obmanyvala roles in the process of evolution. Scientists came to the conclusion that such change was necessary in order that the female received in the process 70-hour mating as much as possible of the ejaculate.
Prize in fluid dynamics went to scientists, are clear about the definition of how best to keep his mug of coffee when walking in order not to spill a hot drink over the edge. The perfect way to transport coffee, is that when you lightly cover the Cup of your palm. We also found out that move with a mug of coffee in hand is better backwards. This maximally suppresses vibration of liquid in the Cup. But in this case, the risk of falling himself.
Nutrition award went to researchers who found that upland vampires (bats from Central and South America) in recent years is not averse to eat the blood of men. Previously, these small predators eat mainly birds and cattle. After examining the feces of bats, scientists have discovered the DNA of the chickens and people.
The prize for medicine went to the scientists, revealed in the human brain the area responsible for the dislike of cheese. The study involved more than 300 volunteers whose brains were studied via MRI. Identifying people who can not stand cheese, the researchers showed them the pieces of cheese during the study of the brain and gave it a sniff. It turned out that most actively in these moments worked elements of the basal ganglia – white ball and a black substance. They, according to the scientists, responsible for the regulation of disgust.
And finally – the prize in obstetrics. This year it was awarded to the scientists who proved that during pregnancy the fetus is more active responds to music, if you play it inside the vagina of the mother, not outside of the abdomen. Similar experiments were conducted on 106 pregnant women, the researchers tracked the expression of the fetus by an ultrasound device.
Winners of the IG Nobel prize in 2017
Sergey Grey