Zebra-Striped Cows & Drunk Bats Among Winners of 35th Ig Nobel Prize
BOSTON - Researchers have found painting cows wiht zebra stripes can substantially reduce the number of biting insects, earning them one of ten Ig Nobel Prizes awarded Thursday night at Harvard University. The annual ceremony, hosted by the Annals of Improbable Research magazine, celebrates unusual and often humorous scientific achievements.
Japanese researcher Tomotoki Oshima, who led the team applying tape and water-based paint to Wagyu cattle, expressed his delight, stating, “When I did this experiment, I hope to win the funny Nobel Prize. This is my dream.Unbelievable, really unbelievable!” Their findings demonstrated a decrease in mosquito and fly attraction to the striped cows, and a corresponding reduction in the animals’ distress from bites, though Oshima acknowledged potential challenges in large-scale implementation.
This year’s Ig Nobel prizes, announced just weeks before the official Nobel Prizes, centered around the theme of “Digestion.” Other winners included a European team discovering that alcohol consumption can sometimes enhance foreign language skills.
The ceremony, held at Boston University, began with the traditional launch of paper airplanes from the audience. Award speeches for absent winners were read by actual Nobel laureates, including Esther Duflo, recognized for her work in poverty reduction.
Further research honored included studies on the impact of smelly shoes on shoe cabinet experiences (by an indian team), the caloric effects of consuming Teflon (by researchers in the US and Israel), and the influence of alcohol on bat flight and echolocation. Colombian scholar Francisco Sanchez, studying drunk bats, noted that bats avoid overly ripe fruit due to its high alcohol content, and forced consumption negatively impacts their abilities, “just like people who drink too much will be slow and speechless.”
Perhaps the most visually striking award went to a team from several European countries who investigated the physics of Italian pasta sauce, even distributing noodles to Nobel Prize winners in attendance.
The Ig Nobel Prizes aim to highlight the lighter side of scientific inquiry and encourage curiosity.
(Translated by: Yang Weijing) 1140919
