Irven DeVore, Moore professor of biological anthropology, once camped out in the deserts of Africa with two of his graduate students.

On the first night of the expedition, he left the students alone at camp, found a hiding place nearby and began roaring like a lion.

"[The students] immediately built a fire and clutched each other," DeVore says.

Unable to restrain his laughter, DeVore was forced to reveal himself. But not after giving his students a real fright and leading them to question the wisdom of embarking on a wilderness adventure with a unpredictable scientist.

Scaring students in the African desert is just one of the many pranks scientists secretly play on one another, contrary to their popular reputation as a serious group of professionals.

Indeed, most people still picture scientists as the archetypal "nerds," complete with pocket protectors, greasy hair and thick black glasses. This image has done much to cloak scientists' true penchant for jest and practical jokes.

Jonathan Marks, associate professor of anthropology at Yale University, says that there are two public images of scientists--the "avuncular Einstein" and the "malevolent Frankenstein." Both, according to Marks, can be defined as classic nerds.

Higgins Professor of Physics Sheldon L. Glashow says the movie industry has done much to skew the public's perception of scientists.

"Scientists are usually peculiar people--certainly in 'Jurassic Park' and 'Dr. Strangelove.' But that's the movies industry," Glashow says.

In real life, however, the scientific communityis replete with humor, although admittedly alittle short of outlets for it. Perhaps as aresult, the humor that does come through borderson the bizarre.

One such outlet is the Cambridge-based Journalof Irreproducible Results (JIR), a bimonthlymagazine solely dedicated to exposing the humor inscience.

Since 1955, the journal has published spoofs,humorous articles and false research papers alongwith actual science news. In the process, it hasbeen slowly overturning the nerd stereotype.

"I have no problem saying scientists arenerds," says Marc Abrahams '78, editor of theJournal. "The question is: what else are they?"

In an attempt to answer this basic question,the JIR solicits stories form scientistsworldwide. Recent publications have included apolitically correct table of the elements, and astudy on the effects of peanut butter on therotation of the earth.

According to Stanley J. Eigen, associate editorof JIR and associate professor of mathematics atNorthwestern University, "Our audience isscientists, engineers, UFO abductees, religiousfanatics--you know, the usual."

"We're never out to do anybody harm," saysAbrahams about JIR's mockery of seeminglylegitimate research.