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#1 2015-09-19 09:07:40

zetafunc
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Registered: 2014-05-21
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'Universal urination duration' wins Ig Nobel prize

A study showing that nearly all mammals take the same amount of time to urinate has been awarded one of the 2015 Ig Nobel prizes at Harvard University.

These spoof Nobels for "improbable research" are in their 25th year.

The team behind the urination research, from Georgia Tech, won the physics Ig.

Using high-speed video analysis, they modelled the fluid dynamics involved in urination and discovered that all mammals weighing more than 3kg empty their bladders over about 21 seconds.

Their subjects included rats, goats, cows and elephants - and although the findings reveal a remarkably consistent "scaling law" in bigger beasts, they also emphasise that small animals do things quite differently.

Rats can urinate in a fraction of a second, for example. This might make rodents a poor choice for studying urinary health problems.

Source: BBC News

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#2 2015-09-19 09:50:18

bobbym
bumpkin
From: Bumpkinland
Registered: 2009-04-12
Posts: 109,606

Re: 'Universal urination duration' wins Ig Nobel prize

An amazing conclusion! Wunderbar! I never even got the idea to time rodent hydrological evacuation.


In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

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#3 2015-09-19 10:46:10

zetafunc
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Re: 'Universal urination duration' wins Ig Nobel prize

It would probably make a fascinating thesis for someone's PhD.

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#4 2015-09-19 22:11:34

bobbym
bumpkin
From: Bumpkinland
Registered: 2009-04-12
Posts: 109,606

Re: 'Universal urination duration' wins Ig Nobel prize

Yes! It is precisely the kind of research that we need desperately. The conclusion could certainly alter our destiny. But I am sure that all of our top research centers are already actively engaged in the solution to this and other pressing problems like it that humanity faces in the 21st century.


In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

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#5 2015-09-19 22:29:05

zetafunc
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Registered: 2014-05-21
Posts: 2,432
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Re: 'Universal urination duration' wins Ig Nobel prize

At the very least, it has encouraged me to time my own toilet uses.

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#6 2015-09-19 23:02:02

bobbym
bumpkin
From: Bumpkinland
Registered: 2009-04-12
Posts: 109,606

Re: 'Universal urination duration' wins Ig Nobel prize

Do not forget to write it all down.


In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

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#7 2015-09-20 01:39:32

David
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From: Bumpkinland
Registered: 2014-04-23
Posts: 3,164

Re: 'Universal urination duration' wins Ig Nobel prize

Roughly 49 seconds just now.


His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.

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#8 2015-09-20 01:41:41

bobbym
bumpkin
From: Bumpkinland
Registered: 2009-04-12
Posts: 109,606

Re: 'Universal urination duration' wins Ig Nobel prize

That is valuable data that the research team could use!


In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

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