—2022 Ig Nobel Prizes “” Scholars of scorpion constipation, synchronized duckling swimming, and moose crash test dummies all garnered awards at the 32nd Ig Nobel Prize ceremony. The humorous honors, which are given for “achievements that first make people LAUGH, and then THINK,” were awarded at a virtual ceremony Sept. 15.
by Bethany Halford | September 16, 2022
—2021 Ig Nobel Prizes “” Scientists who studied cat chatter, compounds emitted by moviegoers, and the best way to airlift a rhinoceros took home top honors at the 31st Ig Nobel Prize ceremony. The silly and satirical accolades, which honor “achievements that first make people LAUGH, and then THINK,” were awarded virtually on Sept. 9.
by Bethany Halford | September 09, 2021
—Premios Ig Nobel 2020 “” Estudios sobre lombrices de tierra vibradoras, entomólogos con miedo a las arañas y los rugidos de los caimanes en cámaras de aire enriquecido con helio obtuvieron los máximos honores en la trigésima ceremonia de los Premios Ig Nobel. Los peculiares y populares premios, que “honran los logros que hacen que la gente RÍA, y luego PIENSE”, fueron entregados virtualmente el 17 de septiembre en un evento que abarcó seis continentes y permitió que los actuales verdaderos premios Nobel aparecieran para entregar los premios a los nuevos Ig Nobelistas a través de Internet.
by Bethany Halford | September 21, 2020
—2020 Ig Nobel Prizes “” Studies about vibrating earthworms, arachno-adverse entomologists, and alligators bellowing in helium garnered top honors at the 30th Ig Nobel Prize ceremony. The peculiar and popular prizes, which “honor achievements that make people LAUGH, then THINK,” were awarded virtually on Sept. 17 in an event that spanned six continents and allowed actual Nobel laureates to appear to pass the prizes off to the new Ig Nobelists through the ether of the internet.
by Bethany Halford | September 17, 2020
—2019 Ig Nobel Prizes “” Scientific reports about a 5-year-old’s saliva production, a machine that changes diapers, and wombat poop took top honors at the 29th Ig Nobel Prize ceremony. The peculiar but popular prizes, which “honor achievements that make people LAUGH, and then THINK,” were awarded on Sept. 12 at Harvard University’s Sanders Theatre.
by Bethany Halford | September 13, 2019
A few samples are in drawers within his “periodic table table,” a handcrafted wood table Gray made that’s shaped like the periodic table (and that garnered an Ig Nobel Prize). “Some bigger samples are out on the floor, and the more dangerous radioactive ones are at another location,” he says. As for what will happen to Gray’s vast collection when he dies, he says perhaps a science museum will take it.
by Bethany Halford | June 29, 2019
—2018 Ig Nobel Prizes “” Scientific studies on the cleaning power of spit, a lone fruit fly’s ability to spoil wine, and cannibals’ caloric intake garnered top honors at the 28th Ig Nobel Prize ceremony. The seriously silly citations, which “honor achievements that first make people laugh, and then think,” were awarded on Sept. 13 at Harvard University’s Sanders Theatre.
by Bethany Halford | September 13, 2018
The “periodic table table” he crafted—complete with cubicles for element samples from Gray’s personal collection—earned him the Improbable Research 2002 Ig Nobel Prize in Chemistry and caught the eye of Popular Science’s editor, who asked him to write a monthly column for the magazine. C&EN first talked with Gray 10 years ago, when he had just published periodictable.com—a periodic table website that catalogs the samples of his vast element collection with splendid photographs.
by Bethany Halford | November 27, 2017
—2017 Ig Nobel Prizes “” 2017 Ig Nobel Prizes Research involving coffee’s movement when people walk backward, the diet of the hairy-legged vampire bat, and whether cats can be considered liquid or solid took home top honors at the 27th Ig Nobel Prize ceremony. The delightfully dubious distinctions, which “honor achievements that first make people laugh, and then make them think,” were awarded on Sept. 14 at Harvard University’s Sanders Theatre.
by Bethany Halford | September 14, 2017
Gerhard Schrader, a 33-year-old German chemist at the IG Farben chemical conglomerate, had been tasked with developing new insecticides. The goal, mandated by Third Reich strategists, was to reduce Germany’s reliance on food imported from abroad. To do so, the country needed to prevent insect pests from depleting its food supply.
by Sarah Everts | October 17, 2016