What's happened
The 2024 Ig Nobel Prizes were awarded at MIT, recognizing bizarre yet thought-provoking research. Notable winners included a Japanese team for discovering that mammals can absorb oxygen through the rectum, and a posthumous award for B.F. Skinner's Project Pigeon, which aimed to use pigeons for missile guidance.
Why it matters
What the papers say
The Guardian reported on the ceremony, noting that the Japanese team's work on rectal oxygen absorption could revolutionize treatment for respiratory issues, especially during ventilator shortages. The Independent highlighted the humorous nature of the awards, emphasizing that they celebrate research that 'makes people laugh, then think.' Sky News provided details on other quirky winners, including a study on hair whorls and the physics of dead trout swimming, illustrating the diverse range of topics recognized this year. Ars Technica described the event's unique format, which includes 24/7 lectures, showcasing the blend of entertainment and education that characterizes the Ig Nobels.
How we got here
The Ig Nobel Prizes, established in 1991, honor unconventional scientific achievements that provoke laughter and thought. This year's ceremony marked the first in-person event since the pandemic, showcasing a range of quirky research from around the globe.
More on these topics
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The Ig Nobel Prize is a satiric prize awarded annually since 1991 to celebrate ten unusual or trivial achievements in scientific research, its stated aim being to "honor achievements that first make people laugh, and then make them think."
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The institute is a land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant university, with an urban campus that extends more than a mile alongside the Charles River.
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University College London, officially known as UCL since 2005, is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom.