Ig Nobel Prizes Move to Switzerland for First Time in 35 Years
8 sources across 7 countries
Who reported this
- CNN
- Ars Technica
- South China Morning Post
- Asahi Shimbun
- NRC
- El Pais
- Neue Zuercher Zeitung
- The Guardian
What the colours mean
- Left
- Centre-left
- Centre
- Centre-right
- Right
- A hatched block means the outlet is affiliated with, or controlled by, a state.
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The 36th annual Ig Nobel Prize ceremony took place on Thursday in Zurich, Switzerland, marking the first time the event has been held outside the United States since its inception in 1991. Organized by the magazine Annals of Improbable Research, the satirical awards honor scientific achievements that first make people laugh and then make them think. Ten research teams received prizes, which included a trophy resembling a mushroom or human foot, a diploma, and a 10 trillion Zimbabwe dollar bill. The ceremony featured traditional elements such as a rain of paper airplanes and 24/7 lectures, where experts explain their work in 24 seconds and then in seven words.
Winning research included a study on the aerodynamics of nose blowing, the evolutionary history of kissing, and the use of mosquito proboscises as 3D printing nozzles. Other honored projects explored the energy content of cockroach milk, the design of splash free urinals, and a study finding that wealthy individuals are more likely to steal candy intended for children. In the field of soil science, researchers were recognized for burying cotton underwear in various countries to measure decomposition rates. A biology prize was awarded to researchers who studied the biting habits of venomous snakes by gently stepping on them, although one source noted that the associated paper was later retracted from the journal Nature.
Outlets with a center and center right lean attributed the move to Switzerland to concerns over travel safety and visa restrictions for international guests. Some of these reports specifically cited the policies of President Donald Trump as the reason for the relocation. Outlets with a center left lean also highlighted the move to Europe, with some framing the shift as a response to a climate in the United States that has become too unsafe for guests to visit.
How each side framed it
- Centre-left
- These outlets focused on the safety concerns and the general climate in the US as the reason for the venue change.
- Centre
- These outlets emphasized the logistical difficulties of visas and the general safety of international travelers.
- Centre-right
- These outlets explicitly linked the relocation to the specific immigration and entry policies of the Trump administration.
Sources
- Centre Ars Technica: Meet the 2026 Ig Nobel Prize winners
- Centre-left Asahi Shimbun: First Ig Nobel Prize award ceremony outside the US, supplementary prize is 10 trillion Zimbabwe dollars
- Centre-left CNN: Research into nose blowing, candy stealing and splash-free urinals honored at 2026 Ig Nobel awards
- Centre-left El Pais: Buried underwear to measure soil health and 'milking' cockroaches: the Ig Nobels reward the most unusual studies of the year
- Centre NRC: The science behind baby smell and buried underwear: these are the funniest winners of the satirical sister of the Nobel Prize
- Centre-right Neue Zuercher Zeitung: They buried 2000 pairs of underpants and examined cockroach milk: Researchers in Zurich receive the alternative Nobel Prize
- Centre-right South China Morning Post: Scientists studying cockroach milk and nose-blowing win Ig Nobel prizes
- Centre-left The Guardian: Rich people more likely to steal children’s sweets, finds Ig Nobel prize-winning study
100% of the statements in this article were traced back to the source articles listed above.