Ig Nobel Prizes salute zebra cows, Teflon-coated food and other tongue-in-cheek science
Boston ceremony recognizes playful, real-world research that sometimes tackles unusual questions
Zebra cows, Teflon-coated food and a spectrum of peculiar experiments topped this year’s Ig Nobel Prizes, awarded at Boston University in a ceremony that blends humor with real scientific inquiry.
Researchers in chemistry proposed a provocative idea: using Teflon to bulk up food without adding calories, so the material would pass through the digestive system and exit the body. Rotem Naftalovich of Rutgers University and colleagues described the concept as a wonky but real line of thinking that drew interest from the public and some skepticism from food regulators.
Biology prize went to a team from Japan for painting cows black and white in stripes and finding that the approach halved the number of bites from flies, potentially reducing pesticide use. Tomoki Kojima, part of the team, described the moment of acceptance to the audience and, in a light-hearted turn, his colleagues playfully pelted him with fake flies before he revealed a zebra-pattern shirt that drew a round of laughter.
Physicists studied cacio e pepe sauce, mapping the precise moment when the sauce begins to clump and separate during cooking, and how different techniques can prevent it. The researchers aimed to better understand a beloved Italian dish and, by extension, the physics of emulsions in everyday kitchen projects.
Nutrition prize went to researchers who charted rainbow lizards in Togo and found a surprising preference for four-cheese pizza over other toppings, a result the panel described as unexpectedly tasty data about dietary choices in reptiles.
Two paediatricians from the United States were recognized for a study showing that a mother’s garlic consumption can make breast milk smell of garlic, with babies reacting positively to the scent. The award highlighted how sensory changes in breast milk can influence infant behavior and comfort.
Ig Nobel Peace Prize went to researchers who studied how alcohol can influence language performance, reporting that drinking can improve a person’s ability to speak a foreign language (Dutch) in certain social contexts. In the aviation category, the awards recognized work on how alcohol impairs a bat’s ability to fly and echolocate, underscoring the broader theme of how substances affect complex biological systems.
The literature prize was awarded posthumously to William Bean, a medical historian who tracked the growth of one thumbnail over 35 years and published multiple studies on the subject, illustrating the depth and longevity that can exist in seemingly narrow lines of inquiry.
The Ig Nobel awards are presented by the US science humor magazine Annals of Improbable Research. As the name suggests, they are a light-hearted counterpoint to the Nobel Prizes, but the underlying work is real and peer-reviewed. Organizers emphasize that the purpose is to celebrate curiosity and to spark discussion about scientific questions that may seem odd at first glance yet can illuminate broader concepts.
Speaking for the event, Marc Abrahams, founder of the Ig Nobel Prizes, underscored the contest’s aim: to recognize work that first makes people laugh, and then makes them think. The ceremony is known for its playful moments, including unexpected audience interactions and light-hearted stunts, while highlighting the rigorous research behind each project.
Beyond the more talked-about categories, the awards touched on a range of disciplines, from nutrition and biology to physics, chemistry, aviation and literature. A full list of this year’s winners is published by the Annals of Improbable Research, with organizers noting that the prize categories often reflect interdisciplinary collaboration and creative problem-solving across international teams.
In a year notable for inflation-related jokes about prize stipends, the organizers this time honored the humor with a practical nod to modern times: winners received a practical, low-cost token rather than a flashy prize, a reminder that the Ig Nobel awards thrive on wit as well as scientific curiosity.
The ceremony, hosted at Boston University, continues to draw researchers who approach their questions with rigor and playfulness alike. As the program demonstrates, even studies that begin as jokes can prompt thoughtful inquiry, foster cross-disciplinary dialogue, and engage the public in science in a memorable way.