Australia's 'unboil an egg' machine wins Ig Nobel Prize

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2015-09-18 09:41

Australia

Flinders University/ Colin Raston wins Ig Nobel Prize for 'unboil an egg' machine

Professor Colin Raston from Flinders University has won the Ig Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his invention of a machine, the Vortex Fluidic Device, that can at least partially 'unboil' an egg. The compact machine is capable of unravelling proteins (a process required in order to make the white of a cooked egg runny again) and has applications in the treatment of cancer, the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, the production of biofuels and in food processing. While Professor Raston did not set out to find a way to uncook eggs, the 'unboil an egg machine' tag has helped explain what the device does while creating a Dr Seuss-like image that no doubt helped earn him an Ig Nobel. Colin Raston is at Harvard University for the awards ceremony but has made time to talk to Australian journalists and answer their not so ignoble questions.

Media release

From: Australian Science Media Centre

DATE: Fri Sept 18

START TIME: 11:30am Adelaide time / 12 midday AEST

DURATION: Approx 30 min

For further information, please contact the AusSMC on 08 7120 8666 or email info@smc.org.au.

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Media Release Flinders University PDF , 312.9 KB

Other TED-Ed, Web page Animation of the process of unboiling an egg

Other Australian Science Media Centre, Web page Full recording link

Journal/
conference: Ig Nobel Prize Awards Ceremony

Organisation/s: Flinders University

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