This year's 'Ig Nobel Prize', which is called the 'geek Nobel Prize', has been awarded for research on exotic and diverse topics, such as 'the effect of hanging upside down rhinos on the health of rhinos' and 'the effect of a beard on the protection of facial bones' ' was selected as the winner.



On the 9th local time, foreign media such as the BBC introduced the Ig Nobel Prize winners, which celebrated the 31st this year.

The Ig Nobel Prize is awarded annually by AIR (Annals of Improbable Research), a scientific humor magazine of Harvard University, for fun and novel scientific research prior to the announcement of the Nobel Prize.




This year, winners were awarded in 10 fields including biology, chemistry, medicine, peace, and transportation. Among them, the University of Utah researchers who received the Peace Prize for their study on the hypothesis that 'humans grew beards to protect facial bones from punches' was awarded with



The University of Utah researchers made a model that mimics human bones, skin, and beard using fiber-epoxy composites, sheepskin, and wool, and then conducted the experiment. As a result, the model with more wool absorbed more energy. found that it does.

It proves that the beard serves to protect the face from external attacks.




In addition, Cornell University researchers collaborated with Namibia's Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism to actually lift 12 rhinos upside down from a crane and lift them into the air.

This is because there is a concern that when a rhinoceros classified as an endangered species is artificially moved to another habitat, it may cause abnormalities in the rhino's heart and lungs.



The Cornell University researchers found that the upside-down hanging position did not adversely affect the rhino's heart or the like.




In addition, Swedish researchers won a biological prize for 'a study that analyzed how cats and humans communicate', and US Navy researchers found that the use of dichlorvos pesticides was more effective in eradicating cockroaches in submarines. Received an entomology award.



The winners were awarded a trophy in printed PDF that had to be assembled by themselves and a fake $10 trillion Zimbabwean banknote.



This is a 'news pick'.



(Photo='Improbable Research' YouTube)