The Curious Studies of David Hu

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SUMMARY

David Hu, a mathematician at Georgia Tech, conducts unconventional studies on animal behavior, earning two Ig Nobel awards for his unique inquiries. His research includes the speed at which mammals urinate, the optimal length of eyelashes, and the fluid-like behavior of fire ants. Hu's work emphasizes the significance of curiosity in scientific exploration, paralleling Richard Feynman's curiosity-driven discoveries that led to his Nobel Prize in Physics.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of animal behavior research methodologies
  • Familiarity with the Ig Nobel Prize and its significance in unconventional science
  • Basic knowledge of fluid dynamics as it relates to biological systems
  • Awareness of the impact of curiosity-driven research in scientific inquiry
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  • Explore the implications of animal behavior studies on ecological systems
  • Research the criteria and impact of the Ig Nobel Prize on scientific innovation
  • Investigate fluid dynamics in biological contexts, particularly in collective animal behavior
  • Study the relationship between curiosity and scientific breakthroughs in various fields
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Researchers in animal behavior, educators in scientific inquiry, and anyone interested in the intersection of curiosity and innovative scientific research.

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David Hu is a mathematician in the Georgia Tech engineering department who studies animals.
He gets interested in a lot physical problems involving animals that seem unusual to "normal" people.
He has gotten two Ig Nobel awards and been named by the senator Jeff Flake and the author of the three of the twenty most wasteful scientific studies.
This NY Times article profiles him and describes some of his work and briefly reviews his Ig Nobel lineage.
Some of his work involves:
  • How fast does it take mammals to pee?
  • What is the optimal length of eyelashes?
  • How are a mass of fire ants like a fluid or a self-healing material?
 
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Interesting read. The importance of allowing natural curiosity to drive scientific inquiry cannot be overstated. It reminds me of Feynman's plates - how his curiosity piqued by watching a spinning plate in a cafeteria led to his formulation of QED and his Nobel (without the "Ig") prize.

AM
 
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