The Ig Nobel Prize, a humorous award that celebrates research with unusual or quirky findings, was held for the first time outside the United States in Zurich, Switzerland. This marks a significant shift for the 36-year-old event, which previously took place in U.S. universities. Ten research teams from around the world were honored, including groups from Oxford University and the Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine in India. The awards recognized studies on topics as varied as cockroach milk, the evolution of kissing, the mechanics of blowing one's nose, and the decomposition of buried underwear by soil organisms. Catherine F. Talbot from the Florida Institute of Technology was awarded for her research on the evolutionary history of kissing, while Tokuji Unno received an Ig Nobel for studying the science behind blowing one's nose. A team from India's Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine was honored for discovering that cockroach milk contains nearly three times more energy than proteins found in regular dairy milk. Another group, led by Franz Bender, Marcel van der Heijden, Atlant Bieri, and Pia Viviani, was recognized for an experiment in which they buried 1,000 pairs of underwear in over 25 countries and later dug them up to study how soil organisms decomposed them. The ceremony was moved to Zurich partly due to concerns over visa restrictions under the Trump administration, which made it difficult for international scientists and journalists to travel to the United States. Organizers noted that four winners from last year had chosen not to attend the event in Boston because of these issues. In the past, the ceremony was held at Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Boston University. Starting this year, the event will alternate between Zurich and other European cities, with the 2027 ceremony planned for Antwerp, Belgium. There are no immediate plans to bring the event back to the United States. Milo Puhan, an epidemiologist at the University of Zurich and a 2017 Ig Nobel Prize winner, praised the decision to hold the event in his home city, saying it brings visibility to scientific research with a touch of humor. It is important to note that the Ig Nobel Prize is not related to the Nobel Prize, which is announced in early October. Past winners have included researchers who studied whether zebra-like stripes on cows repel flies and a team that investigated the pizza preferences of lizards.