From cockroach milk to stepping on snakes, Ig Nobel awards celebrates science at its oddest

Zurich Hosts the First International Ig Nobel Ceremony, Celebrating Odd but Real Science

Zurich, Switzerland – On Thursday evening, a group of researchers from around the world gathered in the Swiss city of Zurich to receive the Ig Nobel prizes—humorous honors given to studies that, while strange or unconventional, reveal genuine scientific insight. The ceremony, organized by the digital magazine Annals of Improbable Research, marked the first time the awards have been held outside the United States, a decision made after concerns arose that some winners might not obtain U.S. visas.

The event, held in a modest conference hall on the university campus, saw a mix of applause and paper‑airplane‑flinging as honorees received trophies shaped like a cross between a mushroom and a human foot. The playful atmosphere echoed the playful nature of the research itself, which ranged from the culinary to the ecological to the downright bizarre.

Unconventional Research Spotlight

One of the most attention‑grabbing winners was a team that examined “cockroach milk,” a substance secreted by certain species of roaches that can be consumed by other cockroaches. While the practical applications of this discovery remain unclear, the study’s authors noted that understanding the chemical composition of the secretion could inform pest‑control strategies.

Another set of laureates investigated the evolutionary history of kissing. Evolutionary biologist Matilda Brindle of Oxford University explained to reporters that her team defined kissing as “a non-agonistic interaction involving directed, intraspecific, oral‑oral contact with some movement of the lips/mouthparts and no food transfer.” Brindle suggested that the practice dates back at least 21.5 million years and may have served an adaptive function in early human societies.

A third group received accolades for testing soil health by measuring the presence of bacterial communities in used underwear—a method that could offer a low‑cost, high‑throughput way to assess farmland fertility.

Other studies that earned recognition included:

• A sociological survey revealing that upper‑class individuals were statistically more likely to engage in petty unethical acts, such as taking candy from infants.
• An examination of nose‑blowing techniques and their effect on sinus health.
• A behavioral experiment in which participants stepped lightly on live snakes to determine what triggers defensive biting.
• Research into the benefits of shared enemies, a psychological investigation into group cohesion.
• A design challenge aimed at creating a splash‑free urinal.
• The use of dead mosquitoes as a raw material for 3D printing filaments.
• An anthropological study showing that parents can smell and love the scent of their newborns but not of their teenage children.

Voices from the Ceremony

Social psychologist Dr. Paul Piff of the University of California, Irvine, spoke to the crowd about the findings on class and ethics. “The general pattern seems to be that, with wealth and rising power, you become less engaged with the needs of others and less burdened by the needs of social relationships,” Piff said. “Taking candy from children might be the least of our worries, but it’s emblematic of the tendency to prioritize one’s own needs over those of others.”

Brindle echoed the broader implications of her kissing study, stating, “Next time you kiss someone, you can think, ‘This is a 21.5 million‑year‑old tradition that I’m honoring here.’ It’s not just modern romantic behavior—it’s deeply ancestral.”

Why Zurich and the Ig Nobel?

The Ig Nobel awards, founded in 1991, have traditionally taken place in the United States. In 2025, the organizers announced they would hold the ceremony abroad for the first time, citing logistical difficulties with U.S. visas for certain international recipients. Zurich, known for its vibrant scientific community and its central location in Europe, was chosen as the host venue.

“The Ig Nobel is all about celebrating the quirky side of science, and we wanted a city that reflects that mix of seriousness and playfulness,” said a spokesperson for the Annals of Improbable Research. “Zurich’s academic atmosphere and its openness to unconventional ideas made it the perfect fit.”

Looking Forward

The awards ceremony concluded with the announcement that the official Nobel Prizes will be announced in October of the same year. While the Ig Nobel and the Nobel share a name, the former is intentionally tongue‑in‑cheek, honoring research that might never see practical application but that nonetheless expands our curiosity.

As the crowd dispersed, some recipients lingered on the stage to sign autographs for a swarm of paper planes—an inside joke that, according to the organizers, “captures the spirit of the Ig Nobel: serious science delivered with a smile.”

For those in the northeastern United States, the event underscores the global reach of scientific inquiry and the unexpected ways in which it can intersect with everyday life. Whether it’s a new method for assessing soil, a deeper understanding of human affection, or the ethics of candy theft, the Ig Nobel reminds us that curiosity has no bounds.