Teflon diet, garlic milk and zebra cows triumph at 2025 Ig Nobel prizes

5 hours ago

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Researchers propose using Teflon (PTFE) as a zero-calorie filler in food to reduce calorie intake, winning an Ig Nobel prize.
Ig Nobel awards celebrate humorous yet thought-provoking research, distinct from the prestigious Nobel prizes.
Other winners include studies on alcohol improving foreign language skills, cows painted as zebras suffering fewer insect bites, and narcissism linked to perceived intelligence.
A doctor who measured his nail growth for 35 years also received an award.
Research showed small doses of alcohol boost confidence in foreign language skills but don't drastically improve proficiency.
Ethanol affects Egyptian fruit bats similarly to humans, impairing their echolocation and increasing collision risks.
Diet impacts breast milk flavor, with garlic leading to longer suckling times in babies.
A phase transition in cacio e pepe pasta causes clumping, earning a physics prize.
Rainbow lizards in Togo showed a strong preference for 'four cheeses' pizzas.
An Indian team built a UV shoe rack that neutralizes odor but also burns shoes.
Cows painted with black stripes suffered fewer fly bites, winning a biology prize.
A late doctor's 35-year study on nail growth earned a posthumous literature prize.

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