It’s Ig Nobel time again, as the Annals of Improbable Research honors research achievements "that make people laugh – then think." This year’s winners include the U.S. military for its plans to make a "gay bomb," the use of Viagra to help hamsters recover from jet lag, and a medical study of the risks of sword swallowing. (Via New Scientist.)

The awards are handed out by real Nobel laureates, and the popular ceremony (this year’s theme: Chickens!) also featured a humorous "Moments of Science" skit and a contest to win a date with a Nobel laureate ("He’s shapely, he’s sassy and he’s smarter than you.")

Alas, no one from the U.S. military showed up to receive its Ig Nobel. (Photo from Wikimedia Commons.)

[tags]Ig Nobels, research, humor[/tags]