Mass. AIR sponsors the Ig Nobels every year, just as the regular Nobels are being awarded. Abrahams says the Ig Nobels are awarded for a couple of reasons. A lot of people believe they should be honored for something, and if we didn't do it, it wouldn't get done. It's a very underhanded way to seduce people to thinking about science. Although the awards may sound critical, they usually just quote, without comment, the research in question.
Scientists can nominate themselves for the coveted awards.
They can also nominate their enemies. Quite a few are thrilled, but a couple have been less than delighted. No winner has sued. Bloodthirsty science Science that seems absurd can have considerable merit, Abraham notes. Take a recent award to two Norwegian scientists for work on how garlic, ale and sour cream affects the appetite of leeches.