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The 10 Most Absurd Scientific Papers

Lanxon writes "It's true: 'Effects of cocaine on honeybee dance behavior,' 'Fellatio by fruit bats prolongs copulation time,' and 'Are full or empty beer bottles sturdier and does their fracture-threshold suffice to break the human skull?' are all genuine scientific research papers, and all were genuinely published in journals or similar publications. Wired's presentation of a collection of the most bizarrely-named research papers contains seven other gems, including one about naval fluff and another published in The Journal of Sex Research."

14 of 127 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Are full or empty beer bottles sturdier by DJ+Jones · · Score: 4, Funny

    Um, I've been in many bar fights.

    Never once has there been a full beer anywhere nearby.

  2. Are Brazil Nuts Attractive? by PaSTE · · Score: 2, Funny
    --
    /*No comment*/ #No comment //No comment ;No comment 'No comment REM No comment !No
  3. Re:Some of these might be interesting... by magarity · · Score: 2, Funny

    new pub glass design in the UK that uses resin to prevent a shattering effect is hoped to decrease the number of dangerous cuts caused by people breaking glasses over someone's head
     
    Sounds like people in the UK need cut back on what's in those glasses if this is such a serious problem.

  4. Re:Naval fluff... by Opportunist · · Score: 2, Funny

    Ask any Marine, Naval is fluff.

    Guess everyone knows the old joke where a Marine, a Navy pilot and an Army soldier discuss their accomodations.

    Navy: "Last week was a nightmare, the air condition in our tents failed"
    Army: "Wait, what? You guys got air condition?"
    Marine: "Wait, what? You guys got tents?"

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  5. Beer research by Spitfirem1 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Whoever got a study funded that allowed them to buy large amounts of bottled beer on someone else's dime was a very smart person indeed.

    1. Re:Beer research by Locke2005 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Ah yes, sounds like the perfect job: "We've got 100 bottles of beer here, and we need half of them emptied... can you handle that?"

      --
      I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
  6. Time for MythBusters by jruschme · · Score: 2, Funny

    This week on MythBusters: 'Are full or empty beer bottles sturdier and does their fracture-threshold suffice to break the human skull?'

    Cut to shots of a sprint-loaded arm smashing bottles on the head of poor Buster. Quick cut to reaction shot of Cary and Grant.

    Later in the show... Adam and Jamie get to the bottom of our navel fluff mystery.

  7. Re:Some of these might be interesting... by Bob_Sheep · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm surprised this paper from Inorganic Chemistry didn't get mentioned

  8. Re:Some of these might be interesting... by sdpuppy · · Score: 5, Funny
    Wow - I wonder if the folks at the ACS will wonder why the paper "{trans-1,4-Bis[(4-pyridyl)ethenyl]benzene}(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) Complexes and Their Supramolecular Assemblies with -Cyclodextrin" suddenly became so popular

    and then be disappointed to find out it was the SlashDot effect.

    My question, as a chemist, is what is the equilibrium constant - how fast does it go from product to reactant and back ?

    Also, is the reaction reproducible?

    Are there any degenerate orbitals involved?

    Is it reproducible, even with protecting groups attached?

  9. Re:Naval fluff... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    A marine, a sailor, and an airman were asked to secure a building.

    The marine built an outer perimeter with barbed wire, set up a rotating schedule for patrols, and stationed an overwatch on the next building over.

    The sailor locked all the doors, turned off all the lights, and waited for the "all clear" signal.

    The airman took out a 30 year lease with an option to buy.

  10. Re:Some of these might be interesting... by fbjon · · Score: 2, Funny

    That is the raunchiest picture I've ever seen in a chemistry paper.

    --
    True confidence comes not from realising you are as good as your peers, but that your peers are as bad as you are.
  11. Re:Interview about bees on cocaine by Locke2005 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Sounds like a waste of good cocaine to me... wait, can I get a research grant to study "The effects of cocaine on stripper pole dance behavior"? Now THAT would be some valuable research!

    --
    I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
  12. unfortunately there are many palindrones... by airdrummer · · Score: 2, Funny

    who mock what they can't understand...almost undermines my faith in democracy, but then palindrones are only ~22% of the u.s. population:-}

  13. Re:Naval fluff... by leadfoot · · Score: 2, Funny

    Air Force: It's not just a job, it's a job with a uniform

    --
    "We're gonna need a bigger boat"