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Weird News: A Look at the Ig Nobel Prize

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In the doctor's four-year study at one hospital, 2.5 percent of the trauma admissions were coconut-related. "Obviously, over there, it's no laughing matter," said Mark Abrahams, editor of the Annals of Improbable Research.

Of course, most of the Ig Nobel attendees don't come from the tropics. They're happy to make coconut jokes, and so is Barss.

'We're Not Insulted'

Amazingly, Ig Nobel winners fly into Boston each year from all over the world — and they pay their own way.

A guy like Kligerman was obviously leveraging laughter to boost Beano sales. But other "honorees" are scientists who count on their professional reputation to secure grants. Why do they show up?

Some are undoubtedly out to prove they're not stuffy academics. Others come to defend research that — on the face of it — seems coconuts.

A few years ago, three Scottish researchers flew in to Boston to be honored for their report "The Collapse of Toilets in Glasgow," examining the physical collapse of toilets after people sat on them.

"We're not insulted," Jonathan Wyatt said. "Between us, we've published more than 70 research papers. This is the only one that's given us any publicity at all."

This year's event, on Oct. 3, will be the second to be broadcast over the Internet (www.improbable.com). These days, the festivities draw a crowd of 1,200 people, including many notables. But the show still aspires to be a small, prankish party. The audience can and will throw paper airplanes to express themselves.

As for this year's Ig Nobel winners, Abrahams says that's a closely guarded secret.

"Every year a theme or trend emerges, and this year we're all going to find out some interesting things about the intimate relationship between humans and animals," Abrahams said.

With the 12th Ig Nobel festivities beginning, The Wolf Files took a look at past honorees. Here are some of the notables and their innovations. Notable Ig Nobels

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