Last week the Ig Nobel Prizes for science were awarded in Boston for the 35th time. These are satirical ‘Nobel Prizes’ for studies that first make people laugh, and then make them think.
In their article Dutch Courage?, the Maastricht-based winners (Fritz Renner, Inge Kersbergen, Matt Field and Jessica Werthmann, who at the time of the study - in 2017 - worked at the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience) describe how they conducted research on fifty German students who hadn’t been speaking Dutch for very long. Twenty-five got some alcohol, the rest didn’t. They then had to have a conversation in Dutch.
According to observers who were unaware that some participants had had a few drinks, their pronunciation showed particular improvement. Incidentally, the slightly inebriated Germans themselves did not feel like they were doing any better.
Bar
The idea had originated at the bar during a scientific conference. The researchers warn that alcohol in higher doses affects memory, so best not to drink if you want to learn a language.
The presentation of the Ig Nobel Prizes is always festive and a bit silly. The audience throws paper aeroplanes, opera singers sing about something scientific and presenters wear funny hats. The winners are often present, but those from Maastricht were not. Their word of thanks was read out by Nobel laureates Robert Merton and Svante Pääbo.
Nails
Booze also plays a role in the Ig Nobel Prize in Aviation: scientists have figured out whether bats can still fly and navigate properly after a little alcohol. As it turns out, they cannot.
Another winner of this edition tracked and reported on the growth of his own nails for 35 years. He was awarded the Ig Nobel Prize for Literature. The Prize in Nutrition went to researchers who discovered that as far as pizza goes, a certain colourful lizard has a strong preference for quattro formaggi (with four types of cheese).
Also interesting: if you dye cows black and white, like zebras, they suffer less from biting flies.
The Ig Nobel ceremony always takes place in September, a month before the serious Nobel Prizes are awarded.
HOP, Bas Belleman
Translation: Taalcentrum-VU