The 2026 Ig Nobel Prizes, Part 2
Summary
In this second installment covering the 2026 Ig Nobel Prizes, hosts Robert Lamb and Joe McCormick discuss the Medicine Prize for aerodynamic nose-blowing techniques and the Soil Science Prize, which used buried cotton underpants to measure global soil health. They also analyze the Peace Prize research suggesting people value friends who are vicious toward their enemies, and briefly mention the Physics Prize for designing a splash-free urinal.
Topics discussed
Sponsors and show introduction
Introduction to the Ig Nobel Prizes
AI definition of kissing
Aerodynamic study of nose blowing
Parenting and snot suckers
Technique: closing one nostril
Technique: blowing with force
Health benefits and flu shots
Ig Nobel Soil Science Prize introduction
Zombies and soil decay states
Importance of healthy soil
The underwear burial experiment
Composting and decomposition
Data analysis of recovered underwear
Soil health in different environments
Future textile breakdown studies
Sponsors: On Deck and T-Mobile
Ig Nobel Peace Prize introduction
Friendship and pro-social behavior
Social networks and friendship dynamics
Value of vicious friends
Preference for special treatment
Contradictions in friendship expectations
Pick sides in friend disputes
Self-reported vs revealed preferences
Perception of viciousness
Distance and toxicity in friendship
Sponsors: Orderly, IBM, T-Mobile
Splash-free urinals
Conclusion and show details
Sponsors: Orderly, Microsoft, Lilly
Coca-Cola holiday ad
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