The 36th annual Ig Nobel Prizes honored research teams for studies ranging from cockroach milk to soil health analysis using underwear. The satirical awards ceremony, organized by the digital magazine Annals of Improbable Research, was hosted outside the United States for the first time due to travel concerns.
This year, 10 research teams received prizes for their unusual and imaginative contributions to science. Among the honorees were researchers who studied milk derived from cockroaches and those who analyzed soil decomposition rates using buried underwear in over 25 countries. Another team was recognized for reconstructing the evolutionary history of kissing, while the late Dr. Tokuji Unno was honored for his investigation into the science of blowing one’s nose.
The ceremony, held in Zurich, Switzerland, featured researchers receiving custom trophies shaped like a hybrid mushroom and human foot. As is tradition, audience members launched paper airplanes toward the stage to commence the event.
organizers cited safety concerns for attendees traveling to the U.S. as the reason for relocating the ceremony. "During the past year, it has become unsafe for our guests to visit the country," Marc Abrahams, editor of the magazine and master of ceremonies, stated in March.
For future events, organizers intend to alternate venues between Zurich and other European cities. The 2027 ceremony is scheduled to take place in Antwerp, Belgium. Previous ceremonies were held at institutions such as Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Boston University, with no immediate plans to return to the U.S.
The Ig Nobel Prizes are distinct from the official Nobel Prizes, the announcements for which are scheduled for early October.