Ig Nobel Prizes


npr:

A bra that can be turned into two gas masks. Research into whether it’s better to be hit over the head by an empty or full beer bottle. NPR reports on the Ig Nobel Prizes.

They are not to be confused with the Nobel Prizes, the world’s most prestigious awards for intellectual achievement.

As the name implies, the Ig Nobel prizes are dubious achievement awards and a spoof of the more famous prizes. They were handed out at Harvard University and actual Nobel laureates, like economist Paul Krugman, were on hand to take part in the now annual send-up sponsored by the Annals of Improbable Research, a science humor magazine.

Here are some of the winners:

VETERINARY MEDICINE: Catherine Douglas and Peter Rowlinson for showing that cows with names give more milk than unnamed cows.


PEACE: Stephan Bolliger, Steffen Ross, Lars Oesterhelweg, Michael Thali and Beat Kneubuehl for investigating whether it is better to be struck over the head with a full beer bottle or with an empty beer bottle.


PHYSICS: Katherine Whitcome, Liza Shapiro and Daniel Lieberman for figuring out why pregnant women don’t tip over.


BIOLOGY: Fumiaki Taguchi, Song Guofu and Zhang Guanglei for demonstrating that bacteria in panda poop can help reduce kitchen waste by 90 percent.

Photos by 13dede/simmbarb/inedita/kvilardi.

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