Why in News?
The 36th Ig Nobel Prize ceremony honoured research designed to ‘make people laugh, then think’, including work by Indian researchers.
Key Details
- Chemistry Prize: Sanchari Banerjee and Subrahmanyan Ramaswamy → research on protein crystals from cockroach milk and their energy content.
- Technology Prize: Changhong Cao and Jianyu Li → using mosquito mouthparts as models for 3D-printing nozzles.
- Physics Prize: Zhao Pan and Kavee Thurairajah → developing splash-reducing urinal designs using fluid-impact angles.
- Soil Science: researchers buried cotton underwear in 25 countries to study soil-life diversity.
- Evolution: Matilda Brindle and collaborators studied the evolutionary origins of kissing; Medicine Prize: Dr Tokuji Unno was honoured posthumously for research on airflow and pressure during nose-blowing.
Exam Connect
- Ig Nobel Prize → unconventional research that first makes people laugh, then think
- Presented annually in multiple scientific categories