More From the "Now That's What I Call Research" Files

This from the BBC:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8270688.stm


Academic research can take many forms and it covers a wide range of subjects:

MONKEYS & THE BARD

The study: A single computer was placed in a monkey enclosure at Paignton Zoo to monitor the literary output of six primates.

Who and when: Students at University of Plymouth, 2003, paid for from a £2,000 Arts Council grant

The aim: To test the "infinite monkey theory", which states that if a monkey hits keys at random on a typewriter keyboard for an infinite amount of time, it will almost surely type a given text, such as the complete works of William Shakespeare.

What was learnt: The theory is flawed. After one month - admittedly not an "infinite" amount of time - the monkeys had partially destroyed the machine, used it as a lavatory, and mostly typed the letter "s".

SWORD SWALLOWING

The study: More than 100 sword swallowers from 16 countries were asked about injuries they had suffered practising their skill

Who and when: Sword swallower Dan Meyer and radiologist Brian Witcombe, published in the British Medical Journal in 2006

The aim: To explore the side-effects of sword swallowing

What was learnt: They received data from 46 sword swallowers. Common ailments included sore throats, especially when learning the trade. They sometimes damage the oesophagus, although usually not seriously, but major bleeding of the stomach does also happen. They run a higher risk of injury when they are distracted or add to the performance using multiple or oddly-shaped swords. There had been 29 fatalities during the past 100 years.