2009 Ig Nobels Awarded, For Gas-Mask Bras and More

alphadogg notes that the 2009 Ig Nobel Prizes were awarded yesterday evening in Cambridge, MA. (You may find that site has been pre-Slashdotted; and improbable.com's video feeds of the ceremony don't work at the moment either.) News.com.au has coverage of the bra that converts quickly to two gas masks, a study of why pregnant women don't tip over, the award for literature, and other gems. "Ireland's police won the literature prize from writing more than 50 traffic tickets to a frequent visitor and speeder named Prawo Jazdy. In Polish, this means 'driver's license.' Pathologist Stephan Bolliger and colleagues at the University of Bern in Switzerland won for a study they did to determine whether an empty beer bottle does more or less damage to the human skull than a full one in a bar fight."

Hey, not fair!

[elrous0]

The lowly beer bottle has had a much greater impact on the world's institutions of higher learning than all other academic topics combined.

Re:bra that converts gas masks could be useful

[Yvanhoe]

This may sound a bit funny invention, but in some places like Seoul where a gas attack can be feared at any moment (they have racks of gas mask for emergency use in every subway station for instance) it could be very useful for a part of the population to constantly carry a pair. We would consider more gently if it was a convertible scarf or gloves, or hat. The fact that it covers a boob is a funny fact that everyone will forget once the gas bomb explodes.

Re:bra that converts gas masks could be useful

[commodore64_love]

Bras don't have the greatest odor either. All day's worth of sweat - ick.

Re:bra that converts gas masks could be useful

[Fallus Shempus]

Yeah, but it's booby sweat!

Re:Ouch

[commodore64_love]

For the same reason why my 8th grade social studies teacher didn't tip-over, even though he had a beer belly the size of a Michelin Radial X.

Re:Hey, not fair!

[elrous0]

To alcohol! The cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems.

Re:Ouch

[SleazyRidr]

This shows one of the very good reasons why the IgNobels are a valuable thing. I would have thought the same as you; more mass->more inertia->more hurt. Then these guys come along and show us that the world isn't quite as intuitive as all that. On the surface it looks useless, but there may just be some application for this in structural engineering that will make bridges cheaper to build in the future. All science leads us forward, even if we have to take very small steps.