GoKawiilIg Nobel Prizes 2026 move to Zurich amid US travel safety concerns
The 2026 Ig Nobel Prizes, which recognize offbeat but scientifically valid research, were awarded for studies including a splash-free urinal design, using mosquito mouthparts to print tiny nozzles, decomposition rates of buried underwear, and the physics of blowing one's nose. For the first time in 35 years, the ceremony left Boston and was held in Zurich, Switzerland, with future events planned for Antwerp in 2027 and returning to Zurich in even-numbered years after.
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The relocation reflects growing reluctance among international researchers and journalists to travel to the US, a shift organizers explicitly linked to safety concerns rather than logistics or cost. This marks a symbolic loss for the US as a host of global scientific gatherings and highlights how geopolitical anxieties are reshaping even lighthearted academic traditions.
- The 2026 Ig Nobel Prizes honored quirky but legitimate research, including a splash-free urinal and mosquito-based 3D printing.
- The ceremony relocated to Zurich after 35 years in Boston due to international guests' safety concerns about traveling to the US.
- Future ceremonies will alternate between European cities, with Antwerp hosting in 2027 and Zurich resuming in even years from 2028.
Annals of Improbable Research Ig Nobel Prizes book — If the splash-free urinal and buried-underwear studies made you laugh and then think, Marc Abrahams' book collects decades of the same gloriously odd research that the Ig Nobels celebrate. It's a perfect coffee-table conversation starter for anyone who loves science at its most improbable.
See Annals of Improbable Research Ig Nobel Prizes book on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: arstechnica.com, 2026-09-03
Published there as: “Meet the 2026 Ig Nobel Prize winners”
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