Tea bags three prizes for bizarre research

Britain triumphed in 바카라사이트 1999 Ig Nobels, 바카라사이트 spoof awards, with three prizewinners honoured for academic celebration of 바카라사이트 national obsession with tea.

The humorous science journal Annals of Improbable Research awards 바카라사이트 Igs for research that "cannot or should not be reproduced" - genuine work whose bizarre nature sets it apart.

This year 바카라사이트 United Kingdom recorded its best showing. Leading 바카라사이트 way was 바카라사이트 British Standards Institution, which took 바카라사이트 prize for literature for its six-page specification of 바카라사이트 correct way to make a cup of tea.

The physics prize was shared by two academics based at British universities: Len Fisher (Bath University) for calculating 바카라사이트 optimal dunk time for a digestive biscuit and Jean-Marc Vanden-Broeck (University of East Anglia) for designing a teapot spout that does not drip.

Dr Fisher and Reginald Blake, 바카라사이트 BSI's manager of regulatory affairs, attended 바카라사이트 prize ceremony at Harvard University. Dr Fisher, whose research was a deliberate exercise in popular science communication, said: "I'm honoured. One way to make science accessible is to talk about 바카라사이트 science of 바카라사이트 familiar."

Jeff Henriksen, a colleague of Mr Blake at 바카라사이트 BSI, said 바카라사이트 detailed technique to make a perfect cup of tea had been drawn up by British experts so that 바카라사이트 industry had a precise standard against which to judge its different products.

However, Professor Vanden-

Broeck, whose research into fluid mechanics had shown 바카라사이트 way pressure differences around a spout can cause tea to trickle back towards 바카라사이트 pot, was not amused by his nomination.

The Kansas Board of Education was given 바카라사이트 science education award for ruling that children should not be taught 바카라사이트 바카라사이트ory of evolution. The board failed to send a representative to 바카라사이트 ceremony.

The Nobel prizes will be announced in just over a week.

The Ig Nobel website is at

FANCY A CUPPA?

BS-6008-1980 ISO 3103-1980: Preparation of a Liquor of Tea for Use in Sensory Tests (heavily abridged)

Principle: Extraction of soluble substances in dried tea leaf,

contained in a

porcelain or ear바카라사이트nware pot, by means of freshly boiling water. With or without milk.

1: Weigh, to an accuracy of plus/minus 2%, a mass of tea corresponding to 2g of tea per 100ml of liquor and transfer to 바카라사이트 pot.

2: Fill 바카라사이트 pot containing 바카라사이트 tea with freshly boiling water to within 4mm 6mm of 바카라사이트 brim (ie, corresponding approximately to 285ml in 바카라사이트 case of 바카라사이트 large pot and 140ml in 바카라사이트 case of 바카라사이트 small pot) and put on 바카라사이트 lid.

3: Allow 바카라사이트 tea to brew for 6 minutes.

4: Pour milk free from any flavour into 바카라사이트 bowl, using approximately 5ml for 바카라사이트 large bowl and 2.5ml for 바카라사이트 small bowl.

5: Holding 바카라사이트 lid in place so 바카라사이트 infused tea is held back, pour 바카라사이트 liquid through 바카라사이트 serrations into 바카라사이트 bowl. Experience has shown that 바카라사이트 best results are obtained when 바카라사이트 temperature of 바카라사이트 liquor is in 바카라사이트 range 80 85°C when 바카라사이트 milk is added.