The 36th Ig Nobel Prize ceremony was held on Thursday, September 3 in Zurich, Switzerland, organized by the magazine “Annals of Improbable Research.” The Ig Nobel Prize, a parody of the Nobel Prize, aims to recognize scientific achievements that “first make people laugh, then make them think.”
This year’s Ig Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to a study on the aerodynamics of nasal mucus expulsion titled “How to Blow Your Nose.”
The Economics Prize was given for research that discovered upper-class individuals are more likely to engage in unethical behavior, such as pilfering children’s candy.
The Chemistry Prize recognized a study that found cockroach milk contains three times the energy of cow’s milk.
The Biomechanics Prize was awarded to experts, including evolutionary biologist Matilda Brindle from the University of Oxford, for their research on the evolutionary history of kissing.
The Physics Prize went to an innovative design study for a “urine-free toilet bowl.”
The Technology Prize acknowledged research on utilizing mosquito mouthparts for 3D printing nozzles, known as “necroprinting,” with co-author Dr. Changhong Cao, an associate professor at McGill University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering in Canada.
Other projects included lightly touching different parts of a venomous snake’s body to explore the reasons behind their biting behavior when threatened, as well as burying 1,000 pairs of underpants in over 25 countries to analyze soil health.
This year’s Ig Nobel Prize focused on the theme of “fungi.” The ceremony was held outside the United States for the first time in Zurich due to visa concerns of attendees.
In addition to the traditional paper airplane throwing, the audience at the ceremony enjoyed a new humorous opera performance themed around mushrooms, featuring Ig Nobel Prize winners dressed as mushrooms. The trophy took the form of a person’s foot with mushrooms growing between the toes.
Future award ceremonies are planned to rotate between Zurich and other European cities. The 2027 ceremony is set to take place in Antwerp, Belgium.
Brindle, one of the award recipients, expressed her support for the Ig Nobel Prize event, highlighting the importance of nurturing curiosity for scientific progress amidst questioning of the relevance of disciplines not closely tied to industry.
Cao mentioned that such awards help legitimize exploratory thinking.
Carly Anne York, an associate professor of biology at Lenoir-Rhyne University in North Carolina, stated that the Ig Nobel Prize consistently showcases research that is both humorous and thought-provoking, emphasizing that these projects are genuine scientific explorations.
She further noted that about half of the economic growth in the United States can be attributed to discoveries stemming from basic research.