The recent Ig Nobel Prize ceremony, held outside the U.S. for the first time, honored ten research teams for their quirky scientific endeavors. Noteworthy projects included studying milk from cockroaches and analyzing soil health using buried underwear. The awards, organized by the Annals of Improbable Research, took place in Zurich, Switzerland, due to visa concerns for attendees. Teams received unique trophies shaped like a fusion of a mushroom and a human foot.
Among the winners were researchers from the University of Oxford who explored the evolutionary history of kissing, and Dr. Tokuji Unno, who studied the science of blowing one’s nose.
As part of the tradition, the audience launched paper airplanes to kick off the event. Future ceremonies will alternate locations in Europe, with the next planned for Antwerp, Belgium, in 2027. Previous awards were held at prestigious U.S. institutions, but concerns about safety have led organizers to seek alternatives abroad.
The Nobel Prizes, unrelated to the Ig Nobels, will be announced in early October.
