Comments on: My Neighbors Are Penis Zombies

By: LDH

LDH — Tue, 06 Dec 2005 16:21:00 +0000

At least the sample size on this is better than one journal article I read long long ago regarding visual pattern recognition in cats where they based their elaborate statistical analyses on experiments run on 3 (count ‘em, *3*) cats (I mean, it’s probably difficult to attach the electrodes into their little brains and all, but still..)

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 06 Dec 2005 06:31:00 +0000

I will be at AGU at some point, though unfortunately not for any significant research that I myself am doing.
I’m a co-author on a poster for an outreach program we have over here. A few high school students worked with us this summer on a research project dealing with fossils found at Capitola Beach and we created a poster with our findings.
Basically showing them what research is all about and how these swanky meetings work, as well as trying to get them interested in geosciences.
We should be there most of the afternoon on Thursday (though I might be slightly late due to a Chem II lab. Blasted!), Anyway, the poster is “The Purisima Formation at Capitola Beach, Santa Cruz County, CA: A Deeper Examination of Pliocene Fossils”
Do you have a poster or going at all this week as well?

By: yami

yami — Tue, 06 Dec 2005 01:53:00 +0000

It’s not the small size so much as the extreme non-randomness that concerns me. I’m with you on the Ig Nobel, though I suspect that the sexology category is quite a crowded field.
Are you at AGU this week?

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 05 Dec 2005 23:58:00 +0000

Various methods of statistical analysis aside, their sample size is incredibly small. Only 35 male undergraduates?
I mean it’s pretty inconclusive. Only 42% found women’s shoes erotic? Come on, we all know there are waaaaayyyy more freaks at Berkeley than that!
Plus, we know social sciences are really all about how well you can wave your hands while talking about random nonsensical topics. This should definitely be nominated for an Ig Nobel next year though!