Science Friday Fingernails And Indigestion At The 2025 Ig Nobel Prizes
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Nov 28, 2025 Marc Abrahams, editor and co-founder of the Annals of Improbable Research, brings laughter and insight as he hosts the 2025 Ig Nobel Prizes. This year's quirky awards feature research on lizards' pizza preferences and a jubilant mini-opera about digestion. Discover the odd correlations between toilet smartphone use and hemorrhoids, and the unexpected impact of mothers' garlic consumption on breastmilk flavor. Plus, learn about the fascinating science behind fingernail growth tracked over 35 years!
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Senses Prime Digestion
- Smell and taste trigger cephalic-phase digestive responses like salivation and gastric secretions before ingestion.
- Sensory signals integrate with interoception to prime enzyme release, motility, and satiety regulation.
Limit Phone Use On The Toilet
- Avoid prolonged smartphone use during defecation as it associates with higher odds of hemorrhoidal disease.
- The study found a 46% increased odds of endoscopically verified hemorrhoids with device use on the toilet.
35 Years Of Fingernail Data
- Dr. William B. Bean meticulously recorded one fingernail's growth across 35 years and involved family members as his measurement subjects.
- His son Bennett Bean accepted the prize and noted the long-term personal nature of self-experimentation.