Science Friday > Archives > 2004 > November
> November 26,
2004:
Hour One: 2004 Ig Nobel
Awards Ceremony Highlights
It's the day after Thanksgiving, and that can only mean two things: leftovers, and ridiculously crowded shopping malls. But for all you faithful Science Friday listeners, you know that it's time for our annual broadcast of this year's Ig Nobel Prize Ceremony -- recognizing the strange, silly, and stupid in the world of science.
As usual, the Annals of Improbable Research hosted the awards in October at Harvard University's Sanders Theater. In attendance were Ignitaries, a handful of real Nobel Laureates, and many amused spectators. Ten awards were given, to science that, in the words of master of ceremonies (and A.I.R editor) Marc Abrahams, "first makes people laugh, then makes them think."
In this hour of highlights from the evening's festivities, we'll hear about what's really in bottled water, find out whether the venerable 'five second rule' really keeps dropped food clean, and we'll track down the inventor of the karaoke machine. We'll hear an operatic tribute to diets, and get a heaping helping of silliness.
This is a pre-recorded show, so please don't call. Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday!
Guests:
Marc Abrahams
Author, "The
Ig Nobel Prizes: The Annals of Improbable Research" (Dutton,
2003)
Master of Ceremonies
Editor, Annals of Improbable
Research
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Various Genuinely Bemused Nobel Laureates
Sanders Theater
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts
A bunch of rather silly people
Sanders Theater
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts
This segment produced by Charles Bergquist
Archived Audio:
listen
in RealAudio format
listen
in Windows Media format
streaming audio help
from NPR
Related Links:
Winners
of the Ig® Nobel Prize
HotAIR
- Rare and well-done tidbits from the Annals of Improbable Research
The
Ig Nobel Web Page
Live
Webcast - 2004 Ig Nobel Ceremony
Article:
Invisible gorilla steals Ig Nobel prize | New Scientist
CNN.com
- Ig Nobel honors 'combover' engineers - Oct 1, 2004
Telegraph
| News | Coca-Cola's water wins Ig Nobel prize
Slashdot
| 2004 Ig Nobel Prizes Announced
Wired
News: Honors for Nude Lit, Fish Farts
Some past Igs on SciFri:
2003
| 2002
| 2001
| 2000
| 1999
1998
Books/Articles Discussed:
"The
Ig Nobel Prizes: The Annals of Improbable Research"
by Marc Abrahams. Dutton, 2003.
"The
Best of Annals of Improbable Research" by Marc Abrahams. WH Freeman,
1997.
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