A proposal to save the Grand Canyon by filling it with styrofoam piffles. The role Jell-O played in the mass extinction of dinosaurs. Why men's beards trigger hysteria and antipathy in cats. JIR is definitely still at it, and from hypothesis to experiment to conclusion here are 150 startling new discoveries reported in the pages of The Best of the Journal of Irreproducible Results, the magazine for biologists, protozoologists, mathematicians, astrophysicists, clinical psychologists, and physiographers. Selection of the Library of Science Book Club.
THIRTY-SEVEN YEARS OF INCONCLUSIVE INVESTIGATIONS AND OBSCURE NONFINDINGS
For nearly four decades, the wackier writings of Nobel laureates, doctors, biologists, mathematicians, astrophysicists, clinical psychologists, and assorted Ph.D.s have been faithfully recorded in the Journal of Irreproducible Results, the only scientific journal with a sense of humor. Articles featured in More of the Best of the Journal include:
"FELINE REACTIONS TO BEARDED MEN"
. . . with its startling discovery that 26% of cats exposed to a photograph of Robert Bork's beard suffered paralysis of the legs and body, while 31% showed other types of severe distress.
"SURVIVAL STRATEGIES AMONG ANIMAL CRACKERS"
. . . and its helpful suggestions to the cookie manufacturer on how to separate predators from prey.
"PATTERNS OF LIMB RETENTION IN HELLENIC STATUARY"
. . . and its intriguing findings on the connection between the lack of arms on ancient Greek statues and the overabundance of arms on Hindu statues.
"TITULAR DOMINANCE IN 'I LOVE LUCY'"
. . . which yields the dramatic theory that by 1957 not only had American females usurped males as dominant members of society, but that men were even losing prominence to children.
"A BRIEFER HISTORY OF TIME"
. . . Bang!
Praise for the first collection of The Best of the Journal of Irreproducible Results:
"Who says scientists don't have a sense of humor?"
(Washington Post Book World)
"A most enjoyable book."
(People)
"Is it funny? The answer is yes."
(Discover)
"This frothy paperback is scarcely designed to enhance the expertise of members of our profession. . . but would not make the least substantial addition to a technical library."
(Journal of the American Chemical Society)
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO PURCHASERS:
The Entire Physical Universe, Including This Book, May One Day Collapse Back Into an Infinitesimally Small Space. Should Another Universe Subsequently Reemerge, the Existence of This Book in That Universe Cannot Be Guaranteed.