Why the super-fun Ig Nobel prizes bring serious value to science0

• SCIENCE, Science / Health, Science Mission Directorate, scientists, Space, Space Communications & Navigation Program, Space Launch System (SLS), Space Telescope, space-x-ipo, SpaceX
• September 11, 2026

Researcher Miki Takahara accepts an Ig Nobel on behalf of the late Tokuji Unno.Credit: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Hands up if you’ve been to a science awards ceremony. Black tie, fine dining, long speeches and polite applause. Any humour has to be calibrated carefully. Compare this with the Ig Nobel awards. These also celebrate genuine, published research