Does wearing socks over your shoes stop you slipping on ice?
Preventing winter falls: a randomised controlled trial of a novel intervention
A New Zealand trial found that wearing socks over your shoes helps you walk on icy footpaths without slipping.
Ig Nobel 2010
Dunedin in New Zealand has some steep, icy streets in winter. Researchers asked volunteer walkers on icy footpaths to wear either their normal shoes or socks pulled over the outside of their shoes, chosen at random.
The sock-wearers slipped less and felt more confident. A clever winter gadget you can make from your sock drawer.
Socks on the outside: unusual, effective, extremely cosy.