Ig Nobel Prizes move to Switzerland for first time in 35 years

The 36th annual Ig Nobel Prize ceremony, which honors research that ‘first makes people laugh, and then makes them think,’ was held in Zurich, Switzerland. This marked the first time in 35 years the event was hosted outside the United States. Organizers, led by Marc Abrahams of the Annals of Improbable Research, cited strict U.S. visa policies and travel concerns as the primary reasons for the relocation to Europe.

Ten research teams received awards for diverse and unusual studies. Notable winners included researchers studying the nutritional value of cockroach milk, the evolutionary history of kissing, and the aerodynamics of nose-blowing. Other honored studies examined why parents find the scent of babies pleasant compared to teenagers, the behavior of snakes when stepped on, and the use of buried underwear to study soil decomposition.

The ceremony featured traditional elements such as the audience throwing paper airplanes at the winners. Future ceremonies are expected to rotate through various European cities, with Antwerp, Belgium, scheduled to host the 2027 event.