Achievements that first make people laugh and then make them think. That’s the motto of the Ig Nobel Prizes, an annual competition that—parodying the Nobel Prizes—recognizes some of the world’s most unusual scientific studies. The organization Improbable Research has been hosting the event since 1991 with the aim of showing that science also has a humorous side in its quest to meaningfully answer questions about the world.
This year the ceremony was held in Zurich, Switzerland, and recognized 10 research projects ranging from an attempt to scientifically define what a kiss is to an experiment that used buried underwear to assess soil health.
Prize in Biomechanics: A Scientific Definition for Kissing
What exactly is a kiss? A group of researchers decided to establish a scientific definition that would apply to all animals, not just humans. They came up with the categorization that a kiss is “a non-agonistic interaction involving directed intraspecific oral-oral contact, with some movement of the lips or oral structures and without the transfer of food.” By this definition, other great ape species are also kissers, so are domestic dogs and cats as well as pigeons, penguins, squirrels, black bears, and tortoises—though not all of these kisses have the same meaning.
Prize in Economics: Having More Money Might Make You a Bad Person
In the study “Higher Social Class Predicts Increased Unethical Behavior,” published in PNAS, researchers conducted seven experiments to investigate whether socioeconomic status was linked to unethical behaviors, such as breaking traffic rules, failing to yield the right of way, cheating, and even taking candy from children. Spoiler: Yes, it seems that more money does mean more problems—creating more problems at least. The results suggest that people from higher social classes have, on average, a greater tendency to prioritize self-interest. Who knew.
Prize in Chemistry: Cockroach Milk Is Actually Nutritious
Yet another study suggesting that the future of nutrition may lie in insects. The “milk” in question is a high-protein substance produced by mother cockroaches of the species Diploptera punctata, which concentrate proteins, fats, and sugars into an extremely energy-dense form. A team of scientists analyzed the crystals that form inside the embryos to understand how these crystals store so many nutrients in such a tiny space.
Prize in Medicine: How to Blow Your Nose the Right Way, According to Science
This is probably the most popular study in the competition because of the story behind it. It’s a posthumous award to scientist Unno Tokuji, who spent his final years studying the correct way to blow one’s nose. He analyzed everything from the aerodynamics and volume of nasal breathing to the pressure exerted on the ears. The recommendation was to blow one nostril at a time when one is more congested than the other and to do so with a long, relatively forceful exhalation, rather than a short, weak blow.
Prize in Biology: When Do Snakes Decide to Bite? You Have to Step on Them to Find Out
To determine what triggers a defensive bite, researchers applied pressure to different parts of the bodies of Bothrops jararaca snakes—a highly venemous species of South American pit viper—and observed how they reacted. Wearing a boot and in a controlled manner, they stepped on different parts of the snake. Stepping on the head resulted in a 44 percent probability of a bite. Applying pressure to the body yielded a 20 percent probability of an attack. If for some reason you need to step on a snake, aim for the tail, where the risk is only 11 percent.
Prize in Physics: How to Make a Urinal Splash-Free
According to mathematical models, there’s an optimal angle for a stream of liquid to hit a urinal if you don’t want droplets to bounce back. The researchers found that lower angles of impact significantly decreases splashing, and they designed prototypes based on that principle. Such scientifically backed urinals can help with keeping public restrooms sanitary.
Prize in Technology: Dead Mosquitos Can Become 3D Printers
The price of 3D printers has gone down significantly in the past decade, and now you can make one with something as low-cost as a dead mosquito. The proboscises that mosquitos use to suck our blood function as extremely fine needles. One of the most delicate parts of a 3D printer is the nozzle, which is essentially an ultrathin tube. In looking to develop new components for precision instruments, the researchers realized there was no need to invent everything from scratch. Evolution had already come up with a great solution by optimizing the mosquito’s mouthparts.
Prize in Olfaction: Your Baby Smells Wonderful; Your Teenager, Not so Much
Once again, science confirms something you probably could have guessed. Researchers analyzed how parents perceive their children’s body odor at different ages. Participants rated the smell of young children more favorably and that of teenagers much less so. Surprise, surprise. The team believes that smell plays an underappreciated role in communication within a family and may be related to the recognition and strengthening of the bond between parents and children.
Peace Prize: We Want Mean Friends, Sometimes
What kind of person do people typically want as a best friend? To answer this question, researchers administered questionnaires asking participants about how their friend should behave toward them, toward a stranger, and toward an enemy. In general, people prefered a friend who is kind to them but cruel to their enemies, suggesting that the ideal friend is not necessarily a “universally good” person.
Prize in Soil Science: Old Underwear Can Reveal Soil Health
About 1,000 participants buried cotton underwear and returned some time later to check how much had decomposed. The result: the “underwear index.” The more holes in the undergarments, the more biological activity, namely that of microorganisms capable of breaking down cellulose, a natural molecule in the cell walls of plants. A population of these kinds of microbes is key for the health of farmland, and now all you need to test for their presence is an old pair of underwear.
The entire ceremony is now available to watch online.
This story originally appeared on WIRED en Español and has been translated from Spanish.
