This is slightly off topic, except that I learned about it from British beer writer Melissa Cole. Perhaps you saw the news report where Iranian cleric Hojatoleslam Kazem Sedighi is blaming earthquakes on women. Well, not all women, just the ones with the temerity to show a little skin. Sedighi is quoted as follows. “Many women who do not dress modestly … lead young men astray, corrupt their chastity and spread adultery in society, which (consequently) increases earthquakes.” Crazy, right? Maybe, but let’s make sure first.

Purdue senior Jen McCreight has a plan to test Sedighi’s theory. She wrote an offhand blog post at her Blag Hag entitled In the Name of Science, I Offer My Boobs. She’s asking all women everywhere this Monday, April 26, to wear their most revealing outfit, whether it’s cleavage enhancing, shoulder baring or ankle-showing. The idea is to see if all that immodest dressing (or lack of it) will “significantly increase the number or severity of earthquakes.” It may have started as a little joke, but nearly 90,000 people have signed up to participate on the Facebook Event Page for Boobquake so the event is taking on a life of its own. She’s even written some additional clarifications in case the idea raises your feminine hackles.

Here’s her entreaty to participate:

On Monday, April 26th, I will wear the most cleavage-showing shirt I own. Yes, the one usually reserved for a night on the town. I encourage other female skeptics to join me and embrace the supposed supernatural power of their breasts. Or short shorts, if that’s your preferred form of immodesty. With the power of our scandalous bodies combined, we should surely produce an earthquake. If not, I’m sure Sedighi can come up with a rational explanation for why the ground didn’t rumble. And if we really get through to him, maybe it’ll be one involving plate tectonics.

According to the Facebook Fan Page, the story’s now been featured on CNN and will be covered on BBC News shortly. I know Melissa Cole will be playing along, how about you? Can the immodesty of bare skin produce an earthquake? Let’s find out this Monday. If you decide to participate and tweet about it, the hashtag is #boobquake.

British actress/model Jennifer Ellison doing her part a few years early, at a 2008 Axe the Tax Rally.