Improbable Research

This medical study describes a new use for the old-fashioned amusement devices called dominoes:

“Subcutaneous Penile Insertion of Domino Fragments by Incarcerated Males in Southwest United States Prisons: A Report of Three Cases,” Steven J. Hudak [pictured here], James McGeady, Alan W. Shindel and Benjamin N. Breyer, Journal of Sexual Medicine, epub November 14, 2011. (Thanks to investigator and Ig Nobel prize winner Richard Wassersug for bringing this to our attention.) The authors, at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, at the University of New Mexico, at University of California Davis, Sacramento, and at University of California San Francisco, report:

Aim. We report three cases of Hispanic men incarcerated in separate southwest United States prisons who utilized a similar technique to insert foreign bodies fabricated out of dominos into the subcutaneous tissues of the penis.

Methods. Details of the three cases were retrospectively reviewed.

Main Outcome Measure.  Resolution of the case.

Results. In each case, an incarcerated Hispanic male or fellow inmate filed a domino into a unique shape for placement under the penile skin. Utilizing the tip of a ballpoint pen or a sharpened shard of plastic to create a puncture wound, each man inserted the domino fragment into the subcutaneous tissue of the penis. All three men presented with infection requiring operative removal.Conclusions. Incarcerated males put themselves at risk for injury and infection when attempting penile enhancement with improvised equipment.

BONUS: A historic domino fragment from a saloon.

BONUS STUDY: “The computational complexity of the unconstrained limited domino problem (with implications for logical decision problems)”

Len Fisher [pictured here], who was awarded the 1999 Ig Nobel Prize in physics for calculating the optimal way to dunk a biscuit, has advice for a scientist who is confident to his very shorts that the neutrinos-travel-faster-than-light reports will turn out to be in error.

Dr. Fisher wrote a letter that’s published in The Guardian (on Nov 25):

If neutrinos can travel faster than light, Jim Al-Khalili will eat his boxer shorts (Comment, 23 November). As a scientist who has advised leading chefs, the correct way to eat boxer shorts is to heat them to carbonisation in a closed, oven-proof dish and then sprinkle the ash on a rare porterhouse steak. At least, the charcoal will help to cure the indigestion that can arise from having to eat one’s words.
Len Fisher
Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire

BONUS: Dr. Fisher’s latest book seems pertinent, perhaps, to the discussion, and perhaps to every discussion of anything, anywhere, at any time, with anyone, more or less.

The book is called Crashes, Crises, and Calamities: How We Can Use Science to Read the Early-Warning Signs.

George Parrott is in the news. George Parrot has been out of the news for a while.

In the news (specifically, in the Sacramento Bee):

Sac State students don’t have to bring snacks for professor

Students of Sacramento State professor George Parrott won’t have to supply snacks anymore in order to be taught psychology.

The Bee’s report on Parrott walking out of his Psychology 101 lab class before a midterm review two weeks ago because of the lack of snacks made headlines across the country. Since then, members of the psychology department at California State University, Sacramento, met and decided it was unacceptable for the professor to have left the class, said Kim Nava, university spokesperson. “He’s been told by the dean not to repeat the behavior,” she said.

Professor Parrott’s web site says he specializes in stereotypes.

(Thanks to investigator Kristine Danowski for bringing Parrott, though not Parrot — see below — to our attention.)

Out of the news (on the web, in OutWestNewspaper), Chuck Woodbury wrote:

The crook who grew up to be a shoe

RAWLINS, Wyo— Today, at the Carbon County Museum, I checked out the display of Big Nose George Parrot, the only man in American history to be turned into a pair of shoes.

His name was actually George Manuse. He was lynched in 1881. George was a rustler with a big nose, hence his name…. A young doctor named J.E. Osborne took possession of George’s body… he had George skinned, and sent the skin to a Denver tannery. “Make me a pair of shoes [pictured here, with his skull], and leave on the nipples” he instructed. Well, he got the shoes, but not the nipples. The shoes are also in the museum…. Dr. Osborne wore his George shoes all the time, especially to special occasions. He eventually became a state big shot and was even elected governor. Some people say he wore George to the inauguration ball.

BONUS: Parrot George, swearing

In America, science has a great day-after-Thanksgiving tradition (we say immodestly): the special Ig Nobel Prize broadcast on National Public Radio’s Talk of the Nation — Science Friday program.

This specially edited version of the year’s Ig Nobel Prize ceremony will be the first hour of the two-hour Science Friday program. In most—but not all!—cities this will be from 2:00-3:00 pm. (Some NPR stations schedule it at other times.) Many stations also stream the broadcast online, so you can listen (almost) no matter where you are.

Today, Friday, November 25, 2011, gather the family and join Science Friday host Ira Flatow [shown here with what we hope is one of his most colorful ties] for the big broadcast.

BONUS: If you’re impatient and can’t wait, here’s last year (2010)’s SciFri Ig Nobel show, and here’s the 2009 broadcast.

UPDATE (November 26, 2011): Here’s a recording of the broadcast.

Academics have been examining Barbie® for more than a decade now. One of the first to do so was senior professor Albert Magro of Fairmont State University, who, in 1997 presented his paper ‘Why Barbie is perceived as beautiful.’ (Perceptual and Motor Skills, 85, 363-374) His experimental examination of evaluations involving 495 individuals came to the conclusion that Barbie® had the following attributes -
A dome shaped cranium, high forehead, large eyes, an oval shaped face, straight closely spaced teeth, an orthognathic chin, a long neck, a wide upper thorax, square shoulders, a v-shaped short torso, short palms, straight fingers, long legs and plantar foot flexion.

Leading to the observation that : “The Barbie doll is illustrative of how human beauty has evolved and indicates elements of human form that appear beautiful.”

Since then, Barbie® has featured in several other scholarly studies …