Pizza for health and other offbeat research win parody Nobels

The Ig Nobels, the parody version of the prestigious Swedish awards, were announced at a ceremony last night, and this year’s winners did not disappoint when it came to delivering funny — yet thought-provoking — research. The medicine winner was an Italian team of scientists who investigated whether eating pizza could protect against illness and death, and their work — published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal — found that pizza made in Italy might have some protective effects. Other notable research: dead, magnetized cockroaches apparently behave differently than living, magnetized ones; saliva estimates in a typical 5-year old; and how holding a pen in one’s mouth can elicit a smile. Curious about why and how the winners did their research? Tune in to a webcast tomorrow afternoon for what’s sure to be a funny and informative session!