#Wombats produce cubic poo » https://www.science.org/content/article/how-do-wombats-poop-cubes-scientists-get-bottom-mystery

#AnimalsSuperPowers
#HashtagGames
#IgNobel

Crap, today is the 30th annual and final Dead Duck Day with @keesmoeliker retiring.

I'd love to attend, but I already committed to going to a concert tonight with a friend, and going from there to the concert would mean that just a single missed connection has me arriving pretty much as the concert starts (might not even be allowed in after the start). It would also involve about 2.5h additionally on public transport, would mean eating on the go as I won't have time for dinner, and that all on a day I'm already tired, just to attend a 20 minute event.
It normally would have been a no-brainer to go, but the timing is very unfortunate; between the concert and this week having been very draining, I just don't think I have the energy to stress about missed connections tonight.

If you however are near Rotterdam and don't feel stressed thinking of getting to and from the Museum of Natural History, you can find tickets to the event on their website: https://www.hetnatuurhistorisch.nl/bezoek/activiteiten/activiteit/dead-duck-day-voor-de-laatste-keer-bij-het-museum-5-juni-2026/ For more info also see the site of Improbable Research: https://improbable.com/2026/06/03/dead-duck-day-celebration-friday-june-5/
#DeadDuckDay #ImprobableResearch #IgNobel

#TIL In the 1950s, #scientists cooled hamsters/rats to near-freezing and used #microwave diathermy to revive them. Not quite “frozen mice in a microwave,” but still a wonderfully weird chapter in cryobiology history. 🐹❄️📡

https://www.nature.com/articles/1731136a0

A research echoed recently by a team from #germany #fau that succeeded in preserving #brain tissue through extreme deep #freezing

#cryobiology #science #ignobel

Premi Demografia Ig Nobel 2024 - AUSTRÀLIA, REGNE UNIT

S. J. Newman, per descobrir que moltes persones famoses per tenir vides molt llargues vivien en llocs amb pèssim manteniment d'historials.

- Capellans: registrar naixements confonent dia/mes, o inscriure un fill amb el mateix nom d'un germà gran mort.

- Frau: "oblidar" notificar mort de l'avi per continuar cobrant pensió.

- Sense certificat: regions sense registres fiables.

http://doi.org/10.1101/704080

https://improbable.com

#ignobel

Premi Probabilitat Ig Nobel 2024 - PAÏSOS BAIXOS, SUÏSSA, BÈLGICA, FRANÇA, ALEMANYA, HONGRIA, REPÚBLICA TXECA

F. Bartoš, E. Wagenmakers, A. Sarafoglou, H. Godmann, i més, per mostrar amb 350.757 proves, que en girar una moneda, tendeix a aterrar al mateix costat que va començar.

La probabilitat d'aterrar al mateix costat es del 50,8%.

Si jugues mira quin costat està amunt abans que el llançador tiri i aposta per aquest.

http://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2310.04153

https://improbable.com

#ignobel

Premi Fisiologia Ig Nobel 2024 - JAPÓ, EUA

R. Okabe, T. F. Chen-Yoshikawa, Y. Yoneyama, Y. Yokoyama, S. Tanaka, A. Yoshizawa, W. L. Thompson, G. Kannan, E. Kobayashi, H. Date i T. Takebe, per descobrir que molts mamífers són capaços de respirar a través del seu anus.

En fallada pulmonar severa, el subministrament via enteral va augmentar els nivells d'oxigen en sang, millorar la supervivència i reduir signes de destrés respiratori.

http://doi.org/10.1016/j.medj.2021.04.004

https://improbable.com

#ignobel

Premi Física Ig Nobel 2024 - EUA

Jaume C. Liao, per demostrar i explicar les habilitats de natació d'una truita morta.

Liao va descobrir que les truites només activen els músculs de la part anterior (el cap), mentre que la resta del cos es mou de forma passiva, moguda per l'energia del propi fluid. Aquest comportament permet al peix mantenir la posició en un corrent fort amb un cost energètic mínim.

http://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.01125

https://improbable.com

#ignobel