The Ig Nobel Prize Ceremony leaves the USA

[thewayne]

Established in 1991, the Ig Nobels have been held in Boston, as a parody of the Nobel Prizes, doling out mock prizes for curious and weird research. One of the things they do is the winners do a 24/7 lecture: explain their work in 24 seconds, and again in 7 words. They used to give a cash prize of like 10,000,000 (some strange foreign currency that when converted is like $50US), but I don't see mention of it.

Well, the 2026 ceremony will be held in Switzerland, details to be announced.

Last year, four of the ten winners did not attend because of the customs and immigration policies of the U.S. government. Because of the fear that the situation will only get worse, it was decided to take the ceremony overseas and eliminate that friction.

The web site for the Ig Nobels, at the Journal for Improbable Research. ignobel.org also redirects here:
https://improbable.com/ig/

https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/03/ig-nobels-ceremony-moves-to-europe-over-security-concerns/

https://science.slashdot.org/story/26/03/10/1540242/ig-nobels-ceremony-moves-to-europe-indefinitely-citing-us-safety-concerns

Comments

[disneydream06]

I don't blame them in the least for moving over seas. :o
Hugs, Jon

[thewayne]

No, not at all.  LOTS of conventions, trade shows, and meetings have stopped or moved or opened overseas shows because of this shit.  Can't blame them in the least.

[disneydream06]

I wish FIFA and the Olympics had the guts to leave. :o
Sadly, we already know that FIFA is way up The Felon's butt. :o

[warriorsavant]

Never paid much attention to the Ignobles, but at times have enjoyed Darwin Awards, and the Journal of Irreproducible Results.

[silveradept]

Can't be surprised that this is happening. Safer for everyone to avoid the US where possible, even if that says bad things about those of us still stuck here.

[conuly]

Talk about ignoble.

[halfshellvenus]

I like the idea of the IgNobles very much.

35 years of being hosted in Boston and then getting moved because participants don't feel safe traveling to/from the US is a really sad commentary on our current situation. And completely understandable as well.