DutchNews.nl - The Eiffel Tower and chimps' rear ends win prizes for Dutch research

Dutch researchers have won two Ig Nobel prizes this year, an 'improbable research' award which ‘honours achievements that first make people laugh, and then make them think’.

The psychology prize went to Erasmus University researchers Anita Eerland, Rolf Zwaan and Tulio M. Guadalupe for their study which looked at why leaning to the left makes the Eiffel Tower seem smaller.

US-based Dutch biologist Frans de Wal and American partner Jennifer Pokorny won the anatomy prize for research which showed chimpanzees can recognize their fellow chimps from photographs of their rear ends.

The organisers say the prizes are intended to celebrate the unusual, honor the imaginative — and spur people's interest in science, medicine and technology.

Readers' Comments

Excellent, imagination, fun and science can lead to great things! I'd love to get hold of this research. Would this make the leaning tower of Pisa look shorter than it really is?

By Andrew | 21 September 2012 4:02 PM

I should get the Nobel prize too!
I can recognize some of my friends rear-end from photographs...

By J.K. | 21 September 2012 4:17 PM

Somehow i feel that this is not a joke...

By Achterfoto | 21 September 2012 7:13 PM

Dude, that's not the actual Nobel prize. Hopefully you knew that

By Kaccie Li | 21 September 2012 7:32 PM

J.K quote:
I should get the Nobel prize too!
I can recognize some of my friends rear-end from photographs...

Have you any other point of interest J.K.?

By teddy | 21 September 2012 9:34 PM

i prefer point of sales

By dork | 22 September 2012 8:54 AM

that would be Frans de Waal (not de wal)

but anyway i really love his work, and my favorite TED video is coming from him

http://www.ted.com/talks/frans_de_waal_do_animals_have_morals.html

By adam | 23 September 2012 4:17 AM

I think J.K. should win an award for making people laugh too. Best laugh I've had for the day.

By Mandy | 23 September 2012 10:02 AM