The ''Annals of Improbable Research'' (''AIR'') is a
bimonthly magazine
A magazine is a periodical literature, periodical publication, print or digital, produced on a regular schedule, that contains any of a variety of subject-oriented textual and visual content (media), content forms. Magazines are generally fin ...
devoted to scientific humor, in the form of a
satirical
Satire is a genre of the visual arts, visual, literature, literary, and performing arts, usually in the form of fiction and less frequently Nonfiction, non-fiction, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ...
take on the standard academic journal. ''AIR'', published six times a year since 1995, usually showcases at least one piece of scientific research being done on a strange or unexpected topic, but most of their articles concern real or fictional absurd experiments, such as a comparison of
apples and oranges using
infrared spectroscopy
Infrared spectroscopy (IR spectroscopy or vibrational spectroscopy) is the measurement of the interaction of infrared radiation with matter by absorption, emission, or reflection. It is used to study and identify chemical substances or functio ...
. Other features include such things as ratings of the
cafeterias at scientific institutes, fake classifieds and advertisements for a medical plan called HMO-NO, and a very odd letters page. The magazine is headquartered in
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is a suburb in the Greater Boston metropolitan area, located directly across the Charles River from Boston. The city's population as of the 2020 United States census, ...
.
''AIR'' awards the annual science
Ig Nobel Prizes, for ten achievements that "first make people laugh, and then make them think". ''AIR'' also runs the Luxuriant Flowing Hair Club for Scientists.
History
''AIR'' is not the first science parody magazine. The ''
Journal of Irreproducible Results'' (''JIR'') was founded by
Alex Kohn and
Harry J. Lipkin in 1955, but its editorial staff, including editor
Marc Abrahams, left after the magazine was bought by publisher
George Scherr in 1994. Scherr filed a number of court actions against ''AIR'', alleging that it was deceptively similar to the ''Journal'' and that it had stolen the name "Ig Nobel Prize", but these actions were unsuccessful.
Profile
Occasional ''AIR'' articles are factual and illuminating, if a bit offbeat. For example, in 2003 researcher-documentary producer
Nick T. Spark wrote about the background and history of
Murphy's Law in a four-part article, "Why Everything You know About Murphy's Law is Wrong".
It was revised, expanded and later published in June 2006 as the book ''
A History of Murphy's Law''. Another example: it was scientifically proved and waggishly reported that
instruments can "distinguish shit from
Shinola."
See also
* ''
Journal of Irreproducible Results''
* ''
Journal of Polymorphous Perversity''
* ''
Worm Runner's Digest''
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Annals Of Improbable Research
Bimonthly magazines published in the United States
Satirical magazines published in the United States
Science and technology magazines published in the United States
Humor magazines
Ig Nobel Prize
Magazines established in 1995
Magazines published in Boston
Professional humor