| Did you know that your brainwave would | | | | |
| measure differently when you chew different | | | | 2) In 1996, executives of tobacco companies |
| flavors of gum? And that if trained, pigeons | | | | received this award for testifying in front |
| can tell the difference between an original | | | | of the US Congress that nicotine is not an |
| Picasso to a Monet? Moreover, did you know | | | | addictive substance. |
| that the people who discovered these notable | | | | |
| achievements have received an Ig Nobel Prize? | | | | 3) In 2001, a Canadian professor was awarded |
| | | | for his study on injuries from falling |
| The Ig Nobel Prizes are awarded every year to | | | | coconuts. |
| research in the fields of science, medicine, | | | | |
| and technology that have made people laugh | | | | 4) In 2004, the prize was shared by a group |
| and then made them think. In other words, the | | | | of American psychiatrists who had studied the |
| Ig Nobel winners are responsible for creating | | | | influence country music has on suicide. |
| the most ridiculous and unnecessary studies | | | | |
| in their respective fields. | | | | 5) In 2005, a Missouri inventor was awarded |
| | | | for creating artificial testicles for dogs. |
| However, the Ig Nobel Prizes are not a | | | | |
| laughing matter. A real Nobel Laureate | | | | Psychology 1) The 1993 award was given to |
| selects the nominees and presents the award | | | | researches who came to the conclusion that |
| to the genuine researchers in a ceremony that | | | | people who claimed they were kidnapped by |
| takes place every year at Harvard University, | | | | aliens from outer space were probably |
| usually around the same time when the | | | | kidnapped by aliens from outer space. |
| prestigious Nobel Prizes are announced. | | | | |
| | | | 2) The 1994 award was presented to the former |
| The first Ig Nobel Prizes ceremony took place | | | | Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew, |
| in 1991. Then, only three prizes were awarded | | | | who has been investigating for 30 years the |
| for achievements that cannot, or should not, | | | | effects of punishing three million citizens |
| be reproduced. Since then, dozens of | | | | whenever they spit, chew gum, or feed |
| researchers from different fields of | | | | pigeons. |
| knowledge and from different parts of the | | | | |
| world were awarded for their forgettable | | | | 3) The 1995 prize was presented to a group of |
| achievements. Here you can read about some of | | | | professors from the Keio University in Japan |
| them. | | | | who had managed to train pigeons to |
| | | | discriminate between paintings by Picassos as |
| Biology 1) In 1991, Robert Klark Graham, was | | | | against those by Monet. |
| awarded for developing a sperm bank that | | | | |
| accepts donations only from Nobel Prize | | | | Peace 1) The 1995 award was presented to the |
| winners and Olympians. | | | | Taiwan National Parliament for claiming that |
| | | | politicians can gain more by punching, |
| 2) The 1996 prize was shared between two | | | | kicking and gouging each other than by waging |
| Norwegian professors who had investigated the | | | | war against other nations. |
| influence of ale, garlic, and sour cream on | | | | |
| the appetite of leeches. | | | | 2) The 1996 prize was awarded to the |
| | | | President of France, Jacques Chirac, for |
| 3) In 1997, three different professors from | | | | celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of |
| three different countries were awarded for | | | | Hiroshima with atomic bomb tests in the |
| measuring brainwave patterns while people | | | | Pacific. |
| chewed different flavors of gum. | | | | |
| | | | 3) In 2000, the British Royal Navy received |
| 4) In 2005, a large group of professors and | | | | this award for replacing the usage of live |
| representatives of the perfume industry were | | | | cannon shell with the usage of the shout |
| awarded for cataloging the specific odors | | | | Bang! |
| produced by 131 different species of frogs in | | | | |
| a state of stress. | | | | And the list can goes on. Ig Nobel Prizes |
| | | | have also been selected for weird and funny |
| Medicine 1) In 1992, a group of Japanese | | | | achievements in the fields of literature, |
| researchers were awarded for coming to the | | | | economics, physics, nutrition, education, |
| conclusion that people who believe they have | | | | archeology, chemistry and more. Just look out |
| foot odor are right about it while people who | | | | for the upcoming 2008 Ig Nobel Prizes. |
| do not, are also right about it. | | | | |