James Watson: New Zealand agricultural historian wins an IgNobel

A Massey University historian has joined a list of illustrious researchers who have stepped off the pedestal to receive an IgNobel Award. The annual Ignobel awards are to highlight science that first makes people laugh, then makes them think. It is the image of exploding trousers that catches the imagination and that has won leading Massey historian James Watson the IgNobel prize in agricultural history.

IgNobels are awarded in fields such as physics, medicine, public health, economics and peace.

Dr Watson's history research, The significance of Mr Richard Buckley's exploding trousers, is a reflection on aspects of technological and social changes in dairy farming between the world wars.

The following Hawera Star newspaper story from August 1931 ignited Dr Watson's scientific imagination.

"While Mr. Richard Buckley's trousers were drying before the fire recently, they exploded with a loud report.

"Although partially stunned by the force of the explosion, he had sufficient presence of mind to seize the garments and hurl them from the house, where they smouldered on the lawn with a series of minor detonations."

Mr Buckley was lucky he was not in his trousers when they blew up. Others were not so lucky, Dr Watson says, and some deaths occurred.