Please make a recommendation for a funny paper for our lab meeting on 2009-7-28. Please have you recommendation submitted by 2009-7-23 and we will vote on 2009-7-24. NO eye papers please! Be as creative as you can!!
Please make a recommendation for a funny paper for our lab meeting on 2009-7-28. Please have you recommendation submitted by 2009-7-23 and we will vote on 2009-7-24. NO eye papers please! Be as creative as you can!!
Yuk Fai Leung says:
I suggest a topic “What is attractiveness?”
Do you think the way you perceive whether a person is attractive or not is hardwired or affected by the society?
Two very short and funny papers for your thoughts.
1. Trilla A, Aymerich M, Lacy AM, Bertran MJ. Phenotypic differences between male physicians, surgeons, and film stars: comparative study. BMJ. 2006 Dec 23;333(7582):1291-3.
In this paper the authors conducted a survey and found which stereotype of doctors were considered more “attractive” – physicians? surgeons? or the film stars playing the role of doctors?
2. Ghirlanda S. et al., Chickens prefer beautiful humans. Human Nature. 13: 383-389
So…. is the ability to perceive attractiveness an innate ability of all animals?
I don’t know if you can access this paper, but here are the links
http://www.springerlink.com/content/lelwvygrayvwc5dg/
http://cogprints.org/5272/1/ghirlanda_jansson_enquist2002.pdf
This paper was important enough that it won a 2003 Ig Nobel prize.
Enjoy! Will suggest something for the serious discussion later.
July 15, 2009, 12:38 AMFai
Monica Hensley says:
I suggest the paper “Motivational and Emotional Aspects of the Self” by Mark R. Leary.
I know some people do not consider Psychology to be a ‘science’, however I feel it is one of the hardest science’s to study. This paper talks about the connection between self-related motives and self-conscious motives. These are topics that I assume not many of us deeply think about much. This paper presents new terminology and new ideas of us to think about.
July 20, 2009, 10:49 AMLiyun Zhang says:
Today is the 40th anniversary of moon landing. So I think we may discuss on moon landing for fun, on any aspect. We can share our knowledge about moon landing, imagine what it will bring to us and discuss its significance on science and life? Do you think it is desearved to be investigated? There are many reports and news. But we can start from a short article in Nature 2009 July 15, 460:314, “Shooting for the moon”.
July 20, 2009, 8:01 PMYuqing Zhang says:
I suggest this paper: Do all animals sleep?
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T0V-4S0HBSH-1&_user=29441&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000003858&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=29441&md5=9156dc63d601c8379068061292f7b66b
This paper talked about the sleep of different animals.
July 20, 2009, 9:07 PMMonica Hensley says:
Will be reading and discussing the paper ‘“Motivational and Emotional Aspects of the Self” Thursday 2009-7-23.
July 21, 2009, 11:42 AM