The organizers of science's quirkiest awards show moved their ceremony to Switzerland after declaring it "unsafe" for guests to visit America, but never specified what danger they had in mind. Ten research teams picked up Ig Nobel Prizes on Thursday at a convention center in Zurich for studies ranging from cockroach milk to the science […] The post Ig Nobel Prize ceremony flees the U.S. for the first time in 35 years over vague "safety" claims appeared first on American Almanac .
The organizers of science's quirkiest awards show moved their ceremony to Switzerland after declaring it "unsafe" for guests to visit America, but never specified what danger they had in mind. Ten research teams picked up Ig Nobel Prizes on Thursday at a convention center in Zurich for studies ranging from cockroach milk to the science of blowing your nose. The awards, handed out every year since 1991 by the magazine Annals of Improbable Research, honor genuine scientific work that "makes you laugh, then makes you think." For 35 consecutive years the ceremony called the United States home, rotating among Harvard, MIT, and Boston University. Not anymore. Master of ceremonies Marc Abrahams, who also edits the magazine, told The Associated…Open
Researchers who studied cockroach milk and other quirky scientific subjects received the 36th annual Ig Nobel Prizes in Zurich, as the satirical awards left the United States for the first time over safety and visa worries. Ten research teams were honored at the offbeat Ig Nobel ceremony on Thursday at a convention center in Zurich, […] The post Ig Nobel Prizes for oddball science move to Europe after safety concerns in US appeared first on American Almanac .
Researchers who studied cockroach milk and other quirky scientific subjects received the 36th annual Ig Nobel Prizes in Zurich, as the satirical awards left the United States for the first time over safety and visa worries. Ten research teams were honored at the offbeat Ig Nobel ceremony on Thursday at a convention center in Zurich, Switzerland. The event, which pokes fun at scientific achievement with tongue-in-cheek awards, moved abroad after 35 years in the US, marking a shift that organizers say was forced by mounting concerns over safety and travel restrictions for international guests. Winners included researchers who analyzed cockroach milk, buried thousands of pairs of underwear around the world to study soil health, and…Open
Prince Philippos of Greece and his wife, Princess Nina, announced the birth of their first son on July 27, a baby born via gestational surrogacy in the United States whose name honors two grandfathers and a deposed royal line. The boy, Kimon Thomas Konstantinos, arrived five years into a marriage that has spanned three wedding […] The post Princess Diana's godson Prince Philippos and wife welcome first child through U.S. surrogate appeared first on American Almanac .
Prince Philippos of Greece and his wife, Princess Nina, announced the birth of their first son on July 27, a baby born via gestational surrogacy in the United States whose name honors two grandfathers and a deposed royal line. The boy, Kimon Thomas Konstantinos, arrived five years into a marriage that has spanned three wedding ceremonies, two continents, and the restoration of a family's citizenship three decades after the Greek government stripped it away. The office of the former Royal Family of Greece released a statement confirming the birth and thanking the unnamed surrogate and her family "for accompanying them throughout this special journey." Philippos, 40, is the youngest child of the late King Constantine II, Greece's last…Open
Robin Steiner was launched more than 92 feet into the air from a huge airbag nine stories high, doing somersaults before landing in a lake in Switzerland.
Voters in Iceland rejected a proposal to resume European Union accession talks, ending a decade-long debate over membership prospects.
PULSE POINTS WHAT HAPPENED: Icelanders voted 52.8 percent to 47.2 percent against resuming negotiations to join the European Union (EU), effectively shelving any immediate plans for EU membership. The referendum, held more than a decade after talks were initially suspended, reflects the public’s resistance to being submerged within the supranational bloc, despite much of the political class wanting to join it. WHEN & WHERE: The vote took place over the weekend in Iceland, with the capital of Reykjavik being the only area where a majority supported resuming EU talks. KEY QUOTE: “This isn’t the time to go. Maybe 10, 15, 20 years or more, like, we can take another look,” said Daniel Bjarkason, a voter against the measure. IMPACT:…Open
A deadly shooting broke out at a rave held at a horse racing track in northern Switzerland, according to police. The shooter’s motive and the exact circumstances of the incident remain unclear.
DNA testing has confirmed that two bodies found on a fast-shrinking glacier in southern Switzerland belong to a pair of Belgian mountaineers who vanished 34 years ago, the latest case of retreating ice giving up the dead. A hiker crossing the Trift Glacier on July 26 spotted the remains and alerted authorities. Wallis Police launched […] The post Melting Swiss glacier surrenders bodies of two Belgian climbers missing since 1992 appeared first on American Almanac .
DNA testing has confirmed that two bodies found on a fast-shrinking glacier in southern Switzerland belong to a pair of Belgian mountaineers who vanished 34 years ago, the latest case of retreating ice giving up the dead. A hiker crossing the Trift Glacier on July 26 spotted the remains and alerted authorities. Wallis Police launched a recovery operation and transported the bodies to the Institute of Forensic Medicine at Wallis Hospital in Sion, where scientists ran DNA comparisons against records of long-missing climbers. The results were conclusive. Wallis Police confirmed the identities in a statement: "A direct comparison of DNA profiles conclusively established that the individuals were two mountaineers who had been missing in the…Open
New data reveals a massive overrepresentation of North African asylum seekers among accused criminals.
New data reveals a massive overrepresentation of North African asylum seekers among accused criminals. PULSE POINTS WHAT HAPPENED: Swiss migration figures show that about 80.5 percent of asylum seekers from Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia have been accused of at least one offense, compared with 12.5 percent among asylum seekers overall. The figures from Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) indicate that North African applicants are significantly overrepresented among those accused of crimes. Their asylum claims are also rarely successful, with roughly 99 percent of applications reportedly rejected, according to Swiss media. DETAIL: Switzerland introduced an accelerated asylum process for applicants from several…Open
