What is Ig Nobel Prize?
[[Image:Frog diamagnetic levitation.jpg|thumb|The 2000 Ig Nobel Prize in physics was awarded to [[Andre Geim]], Radboud University, Nijmegen, and [[Michael Berry (physicist)|Michael Berry]], University of Bristol, for the [[magnetic levitation]] of a live frog.]] The '''Ig Nobel Prize''' is a parody of the [[Nobel Prize]], which is awarded every autumn to celebrate ten unusual or trivial achievements in scientific research. Since 1991, the Ig Nobel Prizes have been awarded to “honor achievements that first make people laugh, and then make them think.” The name of the award, the “Ig Nobel Prize” ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|ɪ|ɡ|n|oʊ|ˈ|b|ɛ|l}} {{respell|IG|noh|BEL|'}}) is a pun on the word ''[[wikt:ignoble|ignoble]]'', an achievement “characterized by baseness, lowness, or meanness”, and is satirical social criticism that identifies absurd-sounding, yet useful research and knowledge.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ignoble |title=Meriam Webster Dictionary |publisher=Meriam Webster |access-date=21 March 2016}}</ref> Organized by the scientific humor magazine, the ''[[Annals of Improbable Research]]'' (AIR), the Ig Nobel Prizes are presented by [[List of Nobel laureates|Nobel laureates]] in a ceremony at the [[Memorial Hall (Harvard University)|Sanders Theater]], [[Harvard University]], and are followed by the winners’ public lectures at the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2012/09/ig_nobel_prize_2012_improbable_research_presented_in_sept_20_ceremony_and_this_is_improbable_book_.html |title=The Greatest Hits of Weird Science; What the Oscars could learn from the Ig Nobel Prize ceremony. |author-link=Marc Abrahams |first=Marc |last=Abrahams |date=12 September 2012 |publisher=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate.com]] }}</ref> == History and Organization == The Ig Nobel Prizes were initiated by Marc Abrahams, the editor of the scientific humor magazine ''Annals of Improbable Research (AIR)''. Each year, the awards are presented