Ig Nobel ceremony moves to Europe amid safety concerns for international guests
The 2026 Ig Nobel Prizes honored research on splash-free urinals, mosquito proboscis nozzles, buried cotton underwear decomposition, and the aerodynamics of nose-blowing. The ceremony relocated from Boston to Zurich due to concerns about the safety of international travelers visiting the United States. Winners will deliver free public talks, with the event continuing in European cities in coming years.
The relocation marks a significant break from tradition, as Boston had hosted the ceremony for 35 consecutive years. Organizers cited growing reluctance among international participants to travel to the United States, with four of the ten previous winners declining to attend. Marc Abrahams, who founded the awards and hosts the ceremony, framed the move as a moral obligation rather than a preference, noting that asking guests to visit under current conditions would be irresponsible.
The event's signature format remains intact despite the geographic shift. Winners must deliver "24/7 lectures," explaining their research in 24 seconds and then again in just seven words, while acceptance speeches are capped at 60 seconds. The 2026 Biomechanics prize went to researchers who redefined kissing in evolutionary terms, excluding behaviors like mouth-to-mouth feeding and dogs licking their owners' lips, and concluded that most large apes engage in some form of the behavior.
The Ig Nobels' move to Europe could signal a broader shift in how international academic communities view US-based events. Researchers and journalists may increasingly weigh travel safety alongside professional opportunity when deciding whether to attend conferences stateside. The relocation may also affect public engagement with science, as the ceremony's playful format has historically drawn mainstream attention to otherwise obscure research. European host cities could benefit culturally and economically, while US audiences may lose a familiar touchpoint for science communication.