2018年9月,搞笑諾貝爾獎在哈佛大學(xué)桑德斯劇場舉行頒獎儀式,此次共頒發(fā)了10項(xiàng)大獎。
搞笑諾貝爾獎創(chuàng)立于1991年,由《不可思議研究年報》(Annals of Improbable Research)主辦,至今走過近30個年頭。
獎項(xiàng)設(shè)立的初衷,是為了表彰那些讓人忍俊不禁又令人深思的研究。除了對應(yīng)諾貝爾獎的生物、化學(xué)、醫(yī)學(xué)、物理、和平、經(jīng)濟(jì)和文學(xué)等固定獎項(xiàng)之外,還包含公共衛(wèi)生、考古等其他隨機(jī)獎項(xiàng)。獲獎?wù)咦再M(fèi)到場,領(lǐng)取廉價的手工獎杯和普通A4紙打印的獲獎證書。
我們來看看其中一個醫(yī)學(xué)類大獎。
醫(yī)學(xué)獎:坐過山車可排出腎結(jié)石
An American researcher suggested that kidney1 stone patients should ride roller coasters regularly because it is a useful way to remove kidney stones. This research has won the Ig Nobel Prize for Medicine this year.
美國研究者建議,腎結(jié)石患者應(yīng)定期乘坐過山車,因?yàn)檫@樣可以有效清除人體內(nèi)的腎結(jié)石。這項(xiàng)研究獲得了2018年搞笑諾貝爾醫(yī)學(xué)獎。
The inspiration2 behind the research began several years ago. One of Professor David Wartingers patients at Michigan State Universitys College of Medicine returned from a holiday trip to Walt Disney World. The patient said that one of his kidney stones was removed after a ride on the Big Thunder Mountain attraction. The patient wondered whether it was caused by the ride or just a coincidence3, so he went on the ride several more times and each time a stone was removed.
該研究靈感始于數(shù)年前。當(dāng)時大衛(wèi)·沃汀格教授在密歇根州立大學(xué)醫(yī)學(xué)院就診,有位病人剛從迪士尼世界度假歸來。這位病人說,在乘坐“大雷山”過山車后,他的一顆腎結(jié)石排出了體外。他很好奇這是由于坐過山車導(dǎo)致的,還是巧合,就又坐了幾次過山車,結(jié)果每次都能排出一顆腎結(jié)石。
Inspired by the story, Professor Wartinger built a silicone4 model, and put artificial5 kidney stones in it. The patient took it with him on more rides. He discovered that Big Thunder Mountain was really helpful— more so than Space Mountain or Rock and Roll Roller Coaster which has longer drops. Professor Wartinger concluded that it was because Big Thunder Mountain has more up, down, and side to side movements that can “shake” the stone out of the rider.
受此啟發(fā),沃汀格教授為這位病人建立了硅膠模型,其中放置了幾顆人造腎結(jié)石。這位病人之后又坐了多次過山車,每次都帶上這個模型。他發(fā)現(xiàn),乘坐“大雷山”過山車的確可以排出腎結(jié)石,雖然“飛越太空山”過山車和“搖滾”過山車都比“大雷山”過山車更驚險,而且下躍路程更長,但效果不及“大雷山”過山車。沃汀格教授得出結(jié)論稱,這是因?yàn)椤按罄咨健边^山車的上升、下躍以及左右翻轉(zhuǎn)次數(shù)更多,讓乘坐者來回“搖晃”。
本期主播:高梓涵,湖南師大附中博才實(shí)驗(yàn)學(xué)校七年級學(xué)生。曾獲2017年全國“希望之星”英語風(fēng)采大賽湖南省一等獎。從小酷愛歐美影視大片,喜歡不同語言的發(fā)音,努力將語音的魅力發(fā)揮到極致。
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