University Challenge never fails to teach us a rather obscure thing or two, but Monday night’s episode had a surprise in store for us that we weren’t entirely ready for.
The penultimate round saw Queen Mary, London, go head to head with Nuffield College, Oxford, and as Jeremy Paxman invited the teams to introduce themselves, nothing could prepare us for what was to come…
Makes my Engineering degree seem like a waste of time! #universitychallenge @ThePoke #sphincterpreservation pic.twitter.com/LADZaSukrj
— Ben Walton (@beluwal) October 6, 2015
No, your ears did not deceive you – Queen Mary’s Kate Lynes really did reveal she was studying for an MD in sphincter preservation, and many didn’t even know there was such a thing.
Err….come again?? #sphincterpreservation #universitychallenge
— Matthew Savine (@Skylarkingmatt) October 5, 2015
Did I hear that right? #sphincterpreservation #universitychallenge
— Rejigger Crafts (@rhonasmum) October 5, 2015
…..can you really do a degree in Sphincter Preservation?! #universitychallenge
— Mark Thomas (@markvictyres) October 5, 2015
I hit rewind to check that a #universitychallenge contestant is studying sphincter preservation. She is, and it's a thing.
— David Harbourne (@davidharbourne) October 5, 2015
Until that point, most of us were more than content living in blissful ignorance but once the words sphincter and preservation were strung together in the same sentence, our curiosity got the better of us.
How does one preserve a sphincter? #universitychallenge #sphincterpreservation
— Gráinne Laverty (@grannieL98) October 5, 2015
Has anyone been brave enough to google 'sphincter preservation' yet? #universitychallenge #sphincterpreservation
— stuwaldy (@stuwaldy) October 5, 2015
I honestly had to ask my husband to Google sphincter preservation! #universitychallenge
— ✨Jane ✨ (@babyjane75) October 5, 2015
Sorry Jeremy, can you start again? I was googling sphincter preservation. #universitychallenge
— Jill (@JillWoodward1) October 5, 2015
I spent the whole time reading about sphincter preservation that I missed the damn show #universitychallenge
— Kez Raleigh (@kez_raleigh) October 5, 2015
Queen Mary University was quick to jump in and point inquisitive viewers in the right direction, sharing a link that proved just how important Kate’s area of expertise was.
Twitter: stop giggling about @QMUL PhD in #SphincterPreservation. It's vital research. Read: http://t.co/wcFYgkNMdi. #UniversityChallenge
— QMUL English & Drama (@QMULsed) October 5, 2015
And once we could appreciate the benefits of having an MD in sphincter preservation, we discovered a new-found love for the subject and Kate Lynes alike.
Good for her! It's the women who should take the lead in niche subjects like #sphincterpreservation #universitychallenge
— Pritha Bardhan (@PrithaBardhan) October 5, 2015
I'm making a Sphincter Preservation Society T-shirt tomorrow and no mistake. #universitychallenge
— Scott Balcony (@balconyshirts) October 5, 2015
Hats off to that young lady on University Challenge studying Sphincter Preservation. If it treats cancer, it's worth all the mickey-taking.
— Mark Taylor (@mistertee1970) October 6, 2015
