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How are the Ig Nobel Prizes different from the Nobel Prizes?
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Nobel Prize
The obverse side of the Nobel Prize medals for Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Literature.
The Ig Nobel Prizes and the Nobel Prizes differ significantly in their purpose, tone, and administration.
- Purpose and Tone: While the Nobel Prizes are the worldâs most prestigious awards for intellectual achievement and "the greatest benefit on mankind," the Ig Nobel Prizes honor unusual, imaginative, and often bizarre research that makes people "LAUGH, then THINK." The Ig Nobels use satire and humor to foster public interest in science, technology, and medicine, whereas the Nobel Prizes recognize fundamental advancements in specific fields.123
- Administration: The Nobel Prizes are administered by the Nobel Foundation and conferred by four specific Swedish and Norwegian institutions. The Ig Nobel Prizes are issued by the science humor magazine Annals of Improbable Research and selected by the Ig Nobel Board of Governors.12
- Ceremonies: The Nobel Prize ceremony is a formal, world-renowned event. In contrast, the Ig Nobel ceremony is marked by irreverent traditions, such as audiences throwing paper airplanes, strict 60-second speech limits enforced by a child, and science-themed mini-operas.34