Prepare-aphernalia: The Bra That Could Save Your Life

"A brassiere that, in an emergency, can be quickly converted into a pair of protective face masks, one for the brassiere wearer and one to be given to some needy bystander."

Yes, that's the official description of the winner in the Public Health category of this year's Ig Nobel Prizes. The awards, administered by the publishers of the Annals of Improbable Research, are given for "achievements that first make people LAUGH, then make them THINK." And, man, does this invention (technically named the Garment Device Convertible to One or More Facemasks) fit the bill!

I mean at first it seems silly to say, "Hey stranger! Want half of my bra?" But in an emergency (say a volcanic eruption for us Portlanders), you're not worried about looking silly, you're just concerned about being able to breathe. So, hey, let's hope this fashion trend catches on! But can we please rename it something catchier? Like maybe the "Lady Lifesaver."

Read the whole patent. Or check out the synopsis from the awards ceremony.

Inventor, Dr. Elena Bodnar, giving a demonstration with fellow scientists.