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Chinese Whispers

Doctor Robert J. Smith (currently at Liverpool John Moores) and Doctor Mukund Unavane played a master joke on then-gratuate Doctor Simon Folkes, whilst they were writing up their dissertations at the Institute of Astronomy in Cambridge University. When I heard about the prank, I submitted it anonymously to the Feedback section in the New Scientist magazine, and it was published as the first story in the 1998 May 16 issue. If it eventually disappears, here is a local copy of the page.

Rob emailed me a bit more info (2000/09/21):

I cannot remember the exact words they had on the packet, but then that
was probably not even a perfect transliteration anyway. It was just the
standard `Store in a cool dry place away from direct sunlight' or some
such. 

Still, the fact are not to important anyway, are they? Facts always
ruin a good story. As one little bit of trivia however, you may like to
know that it was not a packet of noodles as New Scientist claims ... but
was actually a packet of candied lotus berries.
Very tasty they were too.

RJS

Mike Hoenig contacted me (2001/09/25) to say that:

Did you know though, that it was MY packet of candied
lotus? Just in case you wanted to give me credit, y'know. ;)

Fair enough - nice one, Mike!

... and from Doctor Unavane, (2001/09/25) we learn:

more of the "simon's thesis" story - if you're interested. I filled my
thesis with astronomical quotes in foreign languages, having sourced
them from all over the place (including some surprisingly relevant
egyptian hieroglyphic quotes!). Knowing that I had managed to find all
these quotes, Simon asked me to help him find the chinese equivalent of
the quote he was after. Robert and I conspired, using the packet of
lotus candy which Mike had just brought back from Hong Kong. (I think I
ate most of them - they weren't very popular with other people. I must
have strange tastes). We photocopied the back of the packet, and I think
Robert left it anonymously on Simon's desk. Simon, when he found it, was
convinced that I must have found the quote for him, and left it there
for him. I was cagey when he asked me, but the mistaken belief on
Simon's part that I was a downright honest sort of guy, who would never
play such a trick on anyone, helped significantly in the jape. Yes, he
only found out when he read new scientist. The next time I saw him, he
had a bone to pick with me.... 

As far as I am aware, Simon did not find out about the joke until he read it in the magazine article. He has (probably) forgiven Rob and Mukund by now, but I don't know whether he will forgive me for putting it into New Scientist...

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