Are rich people really worse behaved? Here’s the science
Summary
Hosts Madeline Finley and Ian Sample discuss the 2026 Ig Nobel Prizes, highlighting research that makes you laugh and then think. They cover a study suggesting upper-class individuals exhibit less ethical behavior, such as stealing sweets from children, and findings that people prefer friends who are kind to them but vicious toward their rivals. The episode also explores the biomechanical definition of kissing and its evolutionary origins in primates.
Topics discussed
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Intro: 2026 Ig Nobel Prizes overview
What are the Ig Nobel Prizes and their format
Economics Prize: Wealth and unethical behavior
Study details: Driving and stealing sweets
Theories behind class-based moral differences
Peace Prize: Friends and enemies in social bonds
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Biomechanics Prize: Scientific definition of kissing
Evolution and purpose of kissing in animals
Dr. Matilda Brindle and taboo research topics
Outro and credits
Sponsor: Thomson Reuters
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