It’s that time again! The ig-nobel prizes have been released, so it’s time for Jack and Ben to run through their favourite picks from this year’s nominations. We’ve got screaming alligators, narcissistic eyebrows and bug catchers who are terrified of spiders. So, poor yourself glass and settle in for another year of science that will make you laugh and then make you think “why?"

Jack’s Stories:

ACOUSTICS PRIZE

If you’ve ever wanted to know what happens when you seal an alligator in a room filled with helium and why you would want to do this, we have the answers to your questions.

https://jeb.biologists.org/content/218/15/2442.full

PHYSICS PRIZE

Something akin to placing earthworms on a wobble board, can make big headlines in the ig-nobel prizes.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-65295-4

ENTOMOLOGY PRIZE

Is it possible to study insects for a living and still be afraid of spiders?

https://academic.oup.com/ae/article/59/3/168/6813

Ben’s Stories:

PSYCHOLOGY PRIZE

Learn how to spot a narcissist by checking their eyebrows.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jopy.12396

MANAGEMENT PRIZE

How something akin to a sketch comedy landed 5 people in court.

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ibIkZBbnZb-menl7Xv4FAQ

ECONOMICS PRIZE

At last, serious research relating income inequality to making out. Find out more here:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-43267-7

Honorable Mentions:

PEACE PRIZE

How ginger knocking contributed to world peace.

MEDICINE PRIZE

Yes, being annoyed at the sound of people chewing is finally a medical ailment.

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0054706

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165032716321681

MATERIALS SCIENCE PRIZE

Researchers confirm, making knives out of poop is not best practice.

https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2352409X19305371