University of Ediacara (thing)

The University of Ediacara is a fictitious, hilarious institution created
by the pro-evolution contributers to the usenet newsgroup talk.origins.
It is a completely virtual institution, incorporated (so they say) in the
Galapagos Islands. Some basic information concerning the instutition:

• Symbol: The symbol of the university is the ediacaran fossil Charnodiscus oppositus
• Mottos: The institution has two mottos. First, "Knowledge * Wisdom * Beer" and second, "Arbor plena allouattarum", which translates roughly into "a tree full of howler monkeys"
• Degrees granted: While they are a little uncertain and unclear concerning the degrees potentially offered, it is almost certain that $100 in the mail (they specify email only, and that cash, cheques and credit cards will not be accepted) will get you a handsome doctoral diploma if the appropriate committee can finally decide which colour is most suitable. They have, however, offered several honourary doctorates over the years:
  • Honourary doctor of philosophy: Gary Larson, Bill Gates
  • Honourary doctor of Life, the Universe and Everything: Douglas Adams
  • Honourary doctor of predicated mammalian eusociality: Richard D. Alexander
  • Honourary doctor of bioenergetic law: Steven J. Gould
  • Honourary master of science: Douglas J. Futuyma

Finally, the faculty members of the University of Ediacara all choose for
themselves, or have bestowed upon them, rather interesting titles. You can
see them for yourselves at http://www.ediacara.org, but here are a
couple of my favourites: Dr. Ben T. (Chris) Dehner, Professor of
Uniformitarian Astrophysics; Dr. Wes (Chris) Elsberry, Professor of
Non-Invasive Lexicography; and Dr. Dave (Chris) Knapp, Professor of Big, Big
Bangs.