Marc Abrahams's Blog, page 2

Mayonnaise Is a Thermodynamically Unstable Emulsion

Never forget that mayonnaise Is a thermodynamically unstable emulsion. If you are prone to forgetting, and want a reminder, delve into this study: “Effect of dietary proteins on mayonnaise techno-functionality and rheology: A Review,” Wahab Ali Khan, Muhammad Waseem, Iqra Yasmin, Syed Abdul Wadood, Aiza Qamar, Muhammad Rizwan Javed, Muhammad Saleem, and Crossby Osei Tutu, […]

“The Plight of the GASTROENTEROLOGIST”

“The Plight of the GASTROENTEROLOGIST” is a mini-opera premiering as part of the 2025 Ig Nobel Prize ceremony.

Always Chew Your Food: When Stingrays Eat Tough Insects

The theme of the upcoming 35th First Annual Ig Nobel Prize ceremony is DIGESTION. Some humans think of digestion mainly in terms of their own experience, either as eating food or as being food. To expand the mental and digestive horizons of one of those people, suggest to them that they read, or at least […]

Japan and the Ig Nobel Prizes: Press Seminar on September 10

The Foreign Press Center Japan announces: “The FPCJ has invited Prof. Kiyoshi Furusawa to speak on the theme “Creativity of Japanese Researchers as Seen through the Ig Nobel Prize”. He will discuss the characteristics and originality of the past award-winning research and highlight key points to watch in this year’s [Ig Nobel] announcement.” This is […]

Shark Spiral Intestines May Operate as Tesla Valves

If you know one of the many people who are immediately and always deeply fascinated by all things Tesla, make sure your acquaintance is familiar with the shark spiral intestines Tesla valve research study. That study is: “Shark Spiral Intestines May Operate as Tesla Valves,” Samantha C. Leigh, Adam P. Summers, Sarah L. Hoffmann, and […]

Publication Day for Farting Fish

Farting Fish and 49 other weird and wonderful scientific discoveries, a new book about Ig Nobel Prize winners, will officially be published (ISBN 9780711298811) on Tuesday, August 19, 2025. Author Alice Harman and illustrator Sam Wedelich gear it to juvenile readers. That includes at least a piece of everyone’s personality, does it not? Like the […]

Rules of Summoning Benedict Cumberbatch

Benedict Cumberbatch, a British actor with a most unusual name, has been an inspiration to people who study or teach about language. Let’s be more specifically accurate about that: his name has been the inspiration. Here are three items that would not exist but for the existence of Benedict Cumberbatch’s name. Benedict Cumberbatchia (1) “A […]

Dramatic Improbable Readings at WorldCon in Seattle

WorldCon in Seattle, Washington, USA will include a special session of Dramatic Improbable Readings, (read aloud by probably dramatic readers) of very brief extracts from improbably exciting genuine published research studies, some of which have been honored with Ig Nobel Prizes. The session will be on Wednesday, August 13. The Seattle readers and other performers […]

An Ig Look Back: He Swallowed a Shrew

This drawing by artist Becky Moon celebrates the 2013 Ig Nobel Archaeology Prize, which was awarded to Brian Crandall and Peter Stahl, for parboiling a dead shrew, and then swallowing the shrew without chewing, and then carefully examining everything excreted during subsequent days — all so they could see which bones would dissolve inside the […]

Possibly Of Use to Rank Metaphor Creators

Storytellers, news reporters, and historians who make metaphors to try to make sense of the way people behave might find this study inspirational. Especially if they make rank metaphors. The study is about cattle on their journey to being slaughtered “Cattle’s Social Rank Throughout the Transition from Rangeland to Fattening Affects Beef Quality,” Paola Soberanes-Oblea, […]