A satire of the Turner Prize; past winners include a "sad ampersand" on wood. Improving the gene pool by accidental self-removal
Unusual Award N.13 belongs to a long lineage of "Mocking Awards" that satirize serious industries: Award Name What it Honors Why it’s Unusual Research that makes you laugh, then think
Both elements highlight the Ig Nobel's mission: to highlight the absurdity of existence, whether it is a human singing off-key to strangers or a mollusk reacting to invisible sound waves. unusual award n.13
Honors those who ensure the survival of the human race by "accidentally" exiting it. The most odoriferous footwear
When a zephyr finally arrived at 03:14 GMT on October 13, the captain wrote in the log: “Day missing. Not lost. Missing.” A satire of the Turner Prize; past winners
This description actually refers to research distinct from Inoue’s Karaoke prize, though it shares the thematic element of "acoustic biology." While the Ig Nobel list for 2004 officially lists Inoue, the "Scallop" narrative is frequently attached to this slot in internet lore due to the sheer absurdity of the mental image it provokes.
This paper examines the scientific and sociological rationale behind the 2004 Ig Nobel Prize in Biology, often cited as "Unusual Award N.13" in condensed internet archives. While the award was presented to Daisuke Inoue, the popular narrative surrounding this specific award frequently conflates Inoue's contribution (Karaoke) with a separate, biologically distinct study involving scallops. This paper explores the intersection of acoustics, marine biology, and human social tolerance that defines this unusual honor. The most odoriferous footwear When a zephyr finally
Biologically, scallops ( Pectinidae ) do possess a highly developed sensory system. They possess compound eyes, but more relevantly, they are sensitive to vibration and hydroacoustics.
In a hypothetical ledger of bizarre accolades, numbers 1 through 12 are well-documented: