Of Nobels and Ig Nobels, 2009
This year's Nobel prize announcements will wrap up tomorrow with the
Economics Prize. For a rundown of the winners, visit the official site:
<http://nobelprize.org/>
Less controversial, and usually more entertaining, are the Ig Nobels,
awarded "for achievements that first make people laugh then make them
think". This year's winners are listed at:
<http://improbable.com/ig/winners/#ig2009>
Some highlights:
* Veterinary Medicine Prize: Catherine Douglas and Peter Rowlinson ...
for showing that cows who have names give more milk than cows that are
nameless.
* Chemistry Prize: Javier Morales, Miguel Apátiga, and Victor M. Castaño
... for creating diamonds from liquid - specifically from tequila.
* Medicine Prize: Donald L. Unger ... for investigating a possible cause
of arthritis of the fingers, by diligently cracking the knuckles of
his left hand - but never cracking the knuckles of his right hand -
every day for more than sixty (60) years.
