<
https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/09/maya-ritual-enemas-and-constipated-scorpions-the-2022-ig-nobel-prize-winners/>
'Would you give yourself an alcohol enema for science? Test the running speed
of constipated scorpions in the lab? Build your very own moose crash test
dummy? Or maybe you'd like to tackle the thorny question of why legal documents
are so relentlessly incomprehensible. These and other unusual research
endeavors were honored tonight in a virtual ceremony to announce the 2022
recipients of the annual Ig Nobel Prizes. Yes, it's that time of year again,
when the serious and the silly converge—for science. You can watch the
livestream of the awards ceremony here.
Established in 1991, the Ig Nobels are a good-natured parody of the Nobel
Prizes; they honor "achievements that first make people laugh and then make
them think." The unapologetically campy award ceremony usually features
miniature operas, scientific demos, and the 24/7 lectures whereby experts must
explain their work twice: once in 24 seconds and the second in just seven
words. Acceptance speeches are limited to 60 seconds. And as the motto implies,
the research being honored might seem ridiculous at first glance, but that
doesn't mean it's devoid of scientific merit.
Viewers can tune in for the usual 24/7 lectures, as well as the premiere of a
mini-opera, The Know-It-All Club, in which every member "makes clear their
opinion that there is only one person in the Know-It-All Club who knows
anything"—in keeping with the evening's theme of knowledge. The winners will
also give free public talks in the weeks following the ceremony, which will be
posted on the Improbable Research website.
Here are the winners of the 2022 Ig Nobel Prizes.'
Via Christoph S, who wrote "I like the paper on linguistics!"
Share and enjoy,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
