Winners of the Ig® Nobel Prize 2003

science > profound
The 2003 IgNobel prizes, the science awards that honor people whose achievements "cannot or should not be reproduced," were awarded on Thursday evening, October 2. The winners include:

- Physics:
Jack Harvey, John Culvenor, Warren Payne, Steve Cowley, Michael Lawrance, David Stuart, and Robyn Williams of Australia, for their irresistible report "An Analysis of the Forces Required to Drag Sheep over Various Surfaces" [pdf]. Summary here. This is a snapshot of their experimental methodology, based on extensive field research.

- Biology
C.W. Moeliker, of Natuurmuseum Rotterdam, the Netherlands, for documenting the first scientifically recorded case of homosexual necrophilia in the mallard duck. Abstract (includes images). Full paper [pdf].

- Interdisciplinary Research
Stefano Ghirlanda, Liselotte Jansson, and Magnus Enquist of Stockholm University, for their inevitable report "Chickens Prefer Beautiful Humans."