Improbable Research

19/07/2025

We are looking for a new Miss Sweetie Poo, for this year’s Ig Nobel Prize ceremony. Miss Sweetie Poo is our time enforcer — she helps the speakers keep their speeches brief and delightful. She informs them: “Please stop. I’m bored. Please stop. I’m bored. Please stop. I’m bored. Please stop…” If you know of a truly good candidate for the role...

We are looking for a new Miss Sweetie Poo, for this year’s Ig Nobel Prize ceremony. The 35th First Annual Ig Nobel Prize ceremony will happen on Thursday evening, September 18, 2025, at Boston Univ…

17/07/2025

When a dog pants, it generally pants at a particular frequency. This study explains that that frequency is practical, and further, that “The impracticality of panting at other frequencies is shown by calculation.”

When a dog pants, it generally pants at a particular frequency. This study explains that that frequency is practical, and further, that “The impracticality of panting at other frequencies is …

16/07/2025

The 2025 Ig Nobel Prizes will be awarded at the 35th First Annual Ig Nobel Prize ceremony, on Thursday evening, September 18, 2025. Ten new winners will be honored for doing things that make people LAUGH, then THINK. TICKETS to attend the ceremony will go on sale in late July, via the ceremony web page. https://improbable.com/the-35th-first-annual-ig-nobel-prize-ceremony/

16/07/2025

Insights gleaned from studying cats: "Feral Cats Steal Milk from Northern Elephant Seals" [research study] https://improbablestuff.substack.com/p/feral-cats-steal-milk-from-northern

10/07/2025

Coffee for the Road, literally [research study] https://improbable.com/2025/07/10/coffee-for-the-road-research-study/

07/07/2025

Happy news from Kees Moeliker. He writes [but I am giving here an auto-translation into English]: "This is too much fun (and too exciting) not to mention: my latest book 'The Frog Ka*****ra' (about dead animals, bizarre behavior and more enjoyment of nature) is on the longlist of the Nature Book Prize 2025. Fourteen other books (selected from 139 entries) compete for this coveted prize. The jury selected a very diverse stack of top books that will be reduced to a shortlist (of 6) on 24 August. The winner will be announced on 28 September in the radio programme Vroege Vogels. Very exciting. Just take a look at the list of contenders (and go to the bookstore to buy your favorite[s]). Enjoy reading!"

07/07/2025

The July/August 2025 issue of the magazine is a special DIGESTION or INDIGESTION issue. https://improbable.com/annals-of-improbable-research-july-august-2025-vol-31-number-4/

04/07/2025

Winner of Ig Nobel and Nobel Prizes Is Stripped of Citizenship [New York Times report] https://improbable.com/2025/07/04/winner-of-ig-nobel-and-nobel-prizes-is-stripped-of-citizenship/

03/07/2025

The Man Who Synthesized a Data Set of Synthesizers https://improbable.com/2025/07/03/the-man-who-created-a-data-set-of-synthesizers/

02/07/2025

We are looking for a new Miss Sweetie Poo, for this year’s Ig Nobel Prize ceremony. The 35th First Annual Ig Nobel Prize ceremony will happen on Thursday evening, September 18, 2025, at Boston University. Miss Sweetie Poo is our time enforcer. If you have a delightfully qualified candidate, please get in touch with us.

We are looking for a new Miss Sweetie Poo, for this year’s Ig Nobel Prize ceremony. The 35th First Annual Ig Nobel Prize ceremony will happen on Thursday evening, September 18, 2025, at Boston Univ…

02/07/2025

Times of India cartoon about the Ig Nobel Prizes: "The Ig Nobel Prize celebrates science too absurd to ignore." https://www.facebook.com/TimesofIndia/photos/the-ig-nobel-prize-celebrates-science-too-absurd-to-ignoreclockwise-hair-swirls-/1131788098995376/?_rdr

The Ig Nobel Prize celebrates science too absurd to ignore.
Clockwise hair swirls. Butt-breathing rats.
Real research, real prizes. Proof that even the weirdest ideas can win — because strange ideas spark smart innovation.


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