Improbable Research

Previous Years' Highlights

THE CEREMONIES: Here are a few details about the Ig Nobel ceremonies in: 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997. (For highlights from previous years, see the pertinent issues of the Annals of Improbable Research or the Ig Nobel books.)

VIDEO: Watch video of the entire ceremony from these years: 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001

THE MINI-OPERAS: Beginning in 1996, every Ig ceremony has included the world premiere of a new mini-opera, performed by professional opera singers and Nobel Laureates. Here are the complete librettos (and a few pictures) of:

• "The Big Bank Opera" (2009) [watch video of the premiere: Act 1; Act 2; Act 3; Act 4]
• "Redundancy, Again" (2008)
• "Chicken versus Egg" (2007)
• "Inertia Makes the World Go Around" (2006)
• "The Count of Infinity" (2005)
• "The Atkins Diet Opera" (2004)
• "Atom and Eve" (2003) [NOTE: The revised version, with a new Act 4, premiered in 2006 in Austria, at the Alpbach Technology Forum, with Nobel Laureate Frank Wilczek making his public opera singing debut in the role of Atom.]
• "The Jargon Opera" (2002)
• "The Wedding Complex" (2001)
• "The Brain Food Opera" (2000)
• "The Seedy Opera" (1999)
• "La Forza Del Duct Tape" (1998)
• "Il Kaboom Grosso" (1997)
• "Lament Del Cockroach" (1996)

READ: Every year one issue of the Annals of Improbable Research is devoted to coverage of the Ig winners and ceremony. And for copiously juicy details about the winners, see the book The Ig Nobel Prizes and its sequels. Also see the book The Best of Annals of Improbable Research. Some wonderfully colorful (and in some cases overwhelmed) eyewitness accounts appear in various press clippings.

LISTEN: Listen to audio highlights that were broadcast on NPR's Science Friday program in 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, and 1994.

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PHOTO -- 1998 winner TROY HURTUBISE holds aloft his Ig Nobel Prize. Troy returned to the 1999 ceremony, AND gave one of the Ig lectures two days later.

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PHOTO -- 11-year old EMILY ROSA, the youngest person ever to publish a research paper in a major medical journal, delivered a keynote address at the '98 Ig ceremony, as Nobellian WILLIAM LIPSCOMB looked on. Emily, now 12,returned to the 1999 ceremony, AND gave one of the 1999 Ig Lectures two days later.

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PHOTO -- Among those who helped honor the 1998 winners were (left to right) Nobel Laureates SHELDON GLASHOW and DUDLEY HERSCHBACH, magician/science observer JAMES ("the Amazing") RANDI, Harvard Physics Professor ROY GLAUBER, Nobellian RICHARD ROBERTS, and referee JOHN BARRETT.