Annals of Improbable Research Goes Open-Access - Wired Science

"Free access to federally funded biomedical research is great for scientists and doctors — but what the average citizen really needs is open access to infrared comparisons of apples and oranges, historical treatises on Murphy’s law and ratings of science institute cafeterias. Well, the wait is over: the Annals of Improbable Research — best known for their annual Ig Nobel Prizes, awarded this year to, among others, Air Force researchers who wanted to build a gay bomb — has made each of its bi-monthly issues available for free. AIR’s Improbable Research Review helped inspire Wired Science’s No @#&!, Sherlock feature (returning next week, with a holiday bounty of self-evident science.) Among the improbable research in the latest issue‘s review is an article from the journal Laterality, entitled 'How to Choose a Seat in Theatres: Always Sit on the Right Side?' That sets the tone for AIR — and while it’s freebie status won’t likely affect medical progress so directly as the recently-passed open access law, laughter is the best medicine."