The Ig Nobel Prizes
The Ig Nobel Prizes
The Ig Nobel Prizes
The Ig Nobel Prizes are a parody of the Nobel Prizes. They are awarded each year in early October for ten unusual or insignificant achievements in scientific research. The stated purpose of the awards is to “honor achievements that first make people laugh, and then make them think.” Awards are sometimes outright criticism (or gentle satire), but are also used to indicate that even the most seemingly absurd avenues of research can yield useful knowledge. Organized by the scientific humor magazine ‘Annals of Improbable Research’ (AIR), they are presented by a group that includes Nobel laureates at a ceremony at Harvard University’s Sanders Theater. This is followed by a set of public lectures by the winners at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The first Ig Nobel was created in 1991 by Mark Abrahams, editor and co-founder of Annals of Improbable Research. He is the master of ceremonies at all subsequent award ceremonies. Prizes were awarded at the time for discoveries “that cannot or should not be reproduced”. Ten prizes are awarded each year in a number of categories, including the Nobel Prize categories for physics, chemistry, physiology/medicine, literature, and peace, but also other categories such as public health, engineering, biology, and interdisciplinary research. The Ig Nobel Prizes recognize real achievements, with the exception of the three prizes awarded in the first year to the fictional scientists Josiah Carberry, Paul DeFanti, and Thomas Kyle.
The awards are sometimes outright criticism (or gentle satire), as in the two awards given to homeopathy research, the Kansas and Colorado State Boards of Education for their stance on the teaching of evolution in “science education”. Awards, and Social Affair followed by Social Lessons. However, more often than not, they draw attention to scientific articles that have some humorous or unexpected aspects. Examples range from the statement that black holes meet all the technical requirements for being a place in hell, to research on the “five-second rule”, a tongue-in-cheek belief that food spilled on the floor is contaminated. This will not happen if it is lifted within five seconds. In 2010, Sir Andre Geim became the first person to receive both the Nobel Prize and an individual Ig Nobel Prize.
The awards are presented by the actual Nobel laureates, originally at a ceremony at MIT (a lecture hall), but now at the Sanders Theater at Harvard University. It contains several jokes including Miss Sweetie Poo, a little girl who repeatedly cries out, “Please stop, I’m bored,” in a louder voice if the speaker is on for too long. The award ceremony traditionally ends with the words: “If you haven’t won the award and especially if you have, better luck next year!” The event is co-sponsored by the Harvard Computer Society, the Harvard-Radcliffe Science Fiction Association, and the Harvard-Radcliffe Society of Physics Students.
Throwing paper airplanes onto the stage is a long-standing tradition at the Ig Nobel. In previous years, Roy Glauber, a physics professor, cleaned the airplane platform as the official “broom keeper” for years. Glauber was unable to attend the 2005 awards as he was traveling to Stockholm to claim the actual Nobel Prize in Physics. Representatives from the Museum of Bad Art also often attend to display some pieces from their collection.
The ceremony is recorded and broadcast on National Public Radio and shown live on the Internet. The recording is broadcast every year on the public radio program Science Friday, the Friday after US Thanksgiving. In recognition of this, the audience chants the first name of Ira Flato, the host of the radio show. 0 0 0.
The Ig Nobel Prizes
N. B. This article ‘Science and Religion’ originally belongs to the book entitled ‘Gleaned Essays‘ by Menonimus.
The Ig Nobel Prizes
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