Offbeat research wins 2026 Ig Nobel Prizes in Zurich
The 2026 Ig Nobel Prizes, the annual spoof awards for research that "first makes people laugh and then makes them think," have been announced, celebrating quirky but genuine scientific studies. This year's winners include work on designing a splash-free urinal, using mosquito proboscises to "necroprint" tiny nozzles, measuring how quickly buried cotton underwear decomposes, and analysing the aerodynamics of blowing one's nose. One notable winner devised a more rigorous scientific definition of kissing across species including ants, birds, polar bears and humans, concluding that most great apes kiss but eastern gorillas appear to have lost the behaviour.
For the first time in 35 years, the ceremony was held outside Boston, taking place instead in Zurich, Switzerland, with organisers citing growing safety concerns among international guests travelling to the United States. Four of last year's ten winners skipped the event rather than travel to the US, prompting organiser Marc Abrahams to say it had become "unsafe for our guests to visit the country." The ceremony will now rotate through European cities, moving to Antwerp next year before returning to Zurich in 2028 and every even-numbered year thereafter, a pattern Abrahams likened to the Eurovision Song Contest.
In short
- 2026 Ig Nobel Prizes awarded for offbeat but genuine scientific research
- Winners include a splash-free urinal design and a new kissing definition
- Ceremony moved from Boston to Zurich over US travel safety concerns
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Moving the ceremony to Europe can help protect guests who are uneasy about travelling to the United States and make the event accessible to a broader international community. Rotating among European cities may also give the prizes a more genuinely global profile while preserving their celebration of playful, thought-provoking research.
The case against
Keeping the ceremony in the United States could preserve continuity with its long-running Boston tradition and avoid making travel harder for American researchers and supporters. Organisers might instead address guests’ concerns through practical safety measures, allowing the event to remain rooted in its established home while welcoming international attendees.
Explained simply
The Ig Nobel Prizes are annual awards for real scientific studies chosen for their unusual or amusing subjects. Their organisers say the research should first make people laugh and then make them think; the awards are distinct from the Nobel Prizes.
The studies span many fields, from engineering and biology to animal behaviour. They include attempts to prevent urinal splashes, experiments on how buried cotton underwear breaks down, and research comparing kissing across species.
The ceremony was held in Zurich after decades in the Boston area, amid organisers’ concerns about international guests travelling to the United States. It is due to move between European cities, giving the event a new home each year.
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Originally published by Ars Technica as “Meet the 2026 Ig Nobel Prize winners”.