'Ig Nobels' Laud Goofy Science

Bra gas masks and the benefits of naming cows among the discoveries honored

By Kevin Spak

Posted Oct 2, 2009 1:30 PM CDT

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'Ig Nobels' Laud Goofy Science — Dr. Stephan Bolliger, MD, of the University of Bern, Switzerland, co-winner of the Ig Nobel Peace Prize, smashes a mock bottle on his head during the Ig Nobel awards ceremony Thursday. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

The scientific world’s best and brightest gathered last night to honor the silliest. Eight Nobel laureates showed up to hand out the “Ig Nobels,” which honor funny, weird, and downright silly discoveries. The winners included:

Public health: Dr. Elena Bodnar, who invented a bra that can turn into two gas masks.
Veterinary medicine: A team that proved cows with names produce more milk than nameless ones.

Peace: A Swiss team that found it was better to be hit over the head with a full bottle of beer than an empty one.
Literature: Ireland’s police force, which has written more than 50 tickets to “Prawo Jazdy,” which is Polish for “driver’s license.”
Chemistry: A Mexican team that made diamonds out of tequila.

To see the complete list, check the source. (More Ig Nobel Prizes stories.)

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