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Why Ig Nobel Prize is moving from US to Europe
10 Mar 2026

The annual Ig Nobel Prize, a tongue-in-cheek award recognizing scientific achievements that make people laugh and think, is moving from the US to Europe for the first time.

The decision was announced by the organizers yesterday.

The 36th edition of the awards will take place in Zurich this year instead of its usual venue in the US.

Reason behind venue change
Safety concerns

Marc Abrahams, the master of ceremonies and Editor of Annals of Improbable Research, a digital magazine that organizes the awards, cited safety concerns as the reason for this year's venue change.

He said in an email interview with Associated Press, "During the past year, it has become unsafe for our guests to visit the country."

Abrahams added they couldn't "in good conscience ask" new winners or international journalists covering the event to travel to US this year.

Decision comes amid Trump's immigration crackdown
Policy impact

The decision to move the awards ceremony comes amid Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, which has targeted undocumented immigrants as well as student and visitor exchange visa holders.

For 35 years, winners have traveled to the US to accept their prizes.

Last year's winners included a Japanese team studying if painting cows with zebra-like stripes would prevent flies from biting them, and an African-European group pondering types of pizza lizards preferred.

Event to be held in Zurich every other year
Schedule

Last year, four out of 10 winners chose not to travel to Boston for the ceremony.

The event has been hosted at Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Boston University in the past.

This year's ceremony is being organized in collaboration with ETH Domain institutions and the University of Zurich.

Abrahams said it will be held in Zurich every other year with plans to move it across other European cities in between.