Richard Collins: Moose crash test dummy could save lives

But slowing down in our cars could also protect hedgehogs, badgers, foxes and deer

Moose crash test dummy thesis from Magnus Gens: "Scandinavia has a very large moose population and car-moose collision is a huge problem with many fatal outcomes. In order to reduce the number of injuries caused by passenger cars colliding with moose a valid and repeatable method to arrange staged accidents is needed. A moose dummy was constructed after thorough research work."

This year’s Ig-Nobel prize winners have been announced. The award for the best contribution on an animal subject goes to Swedish engineer Magnus Gens for his invention of a ‘ moose crash test dummy’.

In 1991 Mark Abrahams, editor of the Annals of Improbable Research (AIR), created the Ig-Nobel awards, to be given for research that ‘should not, or could not, be reproduced’. A real Nobel laureate presents old Zimbabwean ten trillion dollar notes to winners at an annual ceremony in Harvard University.