I never remember when the Ig Nobel prizes are given. Every Thanksgiving Friday, Science Friday plays an audio version of the award ceremonies and every year, that is my reminder that I missed the actual event.

This year's prizes included a few that I need to look into a little more, I think. The Archaeology Prize, which I can't believe that I hadn't read about on science blogs, was for "The Role of Armadillos in the Movement of Archaeological Materials: An Experimental Approach." I have to wonder how much this has been an issue in archaeological digs in the past in order to suggest that an experimental study would be required.

The Economics Prize went to a paper published in the field of evolution. "Ovulatory Cycle Effects on Tip Earnings by Lap Dancers: Economic Evidence for Human Estrus?" discovers that Lap Dancers get higher tips when they're ovulating. I have to say "duh" to this one, though it's not something that would have actually occurred to me. Maybe some additional research is required.

And, since I work in a moderately large organization, I have a certain fondness for both the title and the content of "You Bastard: A Narrative Exploration of the Experience of Indignation within Organizations." The author of the paper, David Sims, gave a rousing example of the subject of his work which I would love to have an occasion to use.

Anyway, the rest of the prize info is at Improbable Research.

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