In Zurich, the 36th Ig Nobel Prize ceremony took place. In our regular Saturday Funward column, we talk about “achievements that first make people laugh and then make them think.”
Economics. Wealthier people were more likely to take other people’s candy — at least in psychologist Paul Piff’s experiments. Participants with more resources were more likely to cut off other drivers, ignore pedestrians and be less honest at work. They also took almost twice as much from a jar of “children’s” sweets. This is linked to the idea that high status can reduce attention to the needs of others.
Chemistry. Scientists studied the energy content of cockroach milk and found that the milk proteins of viviparous cockroaches are three times more nutritious than cow’s milk. Still, there is probably no need to rush off and order a cockroach-milk latte: the researchers were primarily interested in the biological properties of this unusual product.
Biomechanics. Oxford researchers finally decided to figure out exactly what counts as a kiss in ants, birds, polar bears and humans. The result was strict: contact by mouths, movement of lips, and no transfer of food. As it turned out, even romance — including animal romance — can be scientifically classified.
