The Best and Worst in Research

Posted in Tidbits on October 28, 2004

The always-enjoyable Ig Nobel Awards have been announced, recognizing the perpetrators of the stupidest research to be funded. Among this year’s winners are an investigation on the scientific validity of the “Five-Second Rule” and a report on “The Effect of Country Music on Suicide.”

Hoping for a more noble level of recognition? Those of you with an inventor’s mindset might be interested in the Emhart/NASA Tech Design Contest, where the winning ideas last year included solutions in transportation, medicine, and everyday items. The deadline for this year’s contest is November 19, 2004.

And any Mensans who are inventors should consider signing up for M-Inventors, an Internet-based SIG for Mensan inventors, from whom we received the information on the Emhart/NASA contest.