The Richest Man in the World

Every year we receive five thousand or more nominations for the Ig Nobel Prizes. Most are treated with strictest confidence. A few, however, are meant for public consumption. Here is one such, sent in by investigator T.J. Clarke: I would like to nominate my friends Peter Grist and Mark Wilkinson for the Ig Nobel prize […]

New Judgment for Homeopathic Medicines

Are homeopathic medicines truly medicines? Officially, um, yes. Now they are. So says the U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection. In a ruling published on October 27, 2004, the Bureau did a flip-flop, reversing its previous opinion. Prior to October 27, the Bureau said that homeopathic medicines are, more or less, foods. But henceforth, […]

The Atkins Diet Opera

The words to "The Atkins Diet Opera" are now on our web site, along with several photos from the mini-opera’s debut performance, which occured as part of the 2004 Ig Nobel Prize Ceremony. (Video of the entire mini-opera — and the entire 2004 Ig ceremony, is also online.) Today is the day of the annual […]

Improbable Research