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Mojmír "Knowmad" Macek 6d ago

Michał "rysiek" Woźniak · 🇺🇦

Ig Nobels to move awards to Europe due to concern over US travel visas
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/mar/09/ig-nobel-prize-europe

> The annual Ig Nobels, a satirical award for scientific achievement, are shifting for the first time from the US to Europe due to concerns about attendees getting visas, organizers announced on Monday.

That story again:

Even parody Nobel committee recognizes how dangerous it is to travel to the USA these days. If your conference doesn't, your conference is less serious than parody Nobels. 🤡

Ig Nobels to move awards to Europe due to concern over US travel visas

Scientific awards – which honor research that makes people laugh and then think – to move away from ‘unsafe’ US

The Guardian

Michał "rysiek" Woźniak · 🇺🇦6d ago

> “During the past year, it has become unsafe for our guests to visit the country,” Marc Abrahams, master of ceremonies and editor of the magazine, told the Associated Press in an email interview. “We cannot in good conscience ask the new winners, or the international journalists who cover the event, to travel to the USA this year.”

(…)

> Abrahams said the ceremony would be held in Zurich every other year. In between, the ceremony will shift to other European cities.

Zło To 🏴‍☠️ ᵗʰʳᵉᵉᶠᶦᵈᵈʸ 6d ago

@rysiek not UK, I hope, might be not conductive to the public happiness

Michał "rysiek" Woźniak · 🇺🇦6d ago

@mattesilver the answer is in the linked piece

Zło To 🏴‍☠️ ᵗʰʳᵉᵉᶠᶦᵈᵈʸ 6d ago

@rysiek I'm not subscribing

@rysiek just imagine ending up in ICE detention because you travelled to pick up a weird reward.

SpaceshipOp <=>6d ago

@rysiek
@minkorrekt 👀 That's your chance to make the event in April an ouverture.

Still it is worrying that all this is happening.

@rysiek #FIFA should move the world cup too.

Michał "rysiek" Woźniak · 🇺🇦6d ago

@DoctorDNS one would think…

Limes 🇺🇦6d ago

@DoctorDNS @rysiek Good point. That World Cup is a parody too

Renke Meuwese 6d ago

@DoctorDNS @rysiek the FIFA peace price awardee might lash out if that happens though...

Michał "rysiek" Woźniak · 🇺🇦6d ago

@meuwese @DoctorDNS explanation is not justification

Renke Meuwese 6d ago

@rysiek @DoctorDNS definitely. But given that the previous two world cups took place in Qatar and Russia, and the 2030 will be on three continents to make sure that 2034 will can be in Saudi, I don't really expect sensible justifications from the sports body that makes the IOC look clean.

Michał "rysiek" Woźniak · 🇺🇦6d ago

@meuwese @DoctorDNS oh no doubt, I have zero expectations here. Actually, I have less than that.

Still, we can and should be pointing out that this is ridiculously immoral, and not let them hide behind "but Trump might get angry" – is all I'm saying.

Carlos Solís 6d ago

If they had any proper planning instead of literally rewarding dangerous policies, they would be moving all the matches to Canada as we speak

@rysiek i wonder if a certain someone should be rewarded an ig nobel peace price.

Michał "rysiek" Woźniak · 🇺🇦6d ago

@yetzt ooooooh.

Baltergeist 6d ago

@yetzt @rysiek
I doubt he'd understand that 'ig nobel' does NOT mean 'intelligent genius nobel', nor would any of his sycophantic courtiers clue him in. 🤨
But seeing him preen and strut over it would be...a chiaroscuro of dark and light comedy? 🤔

Łukasz G.6d ago

@yetzt @rysiek Would have to go tu Europe to get it. They just moved the ceremony to Zurich, because nobody wants to risk traveling to US. And I’m not sure we much want this particular someone here in Europe, thank you.

Colin Rowat 5d ago

@yetzt @rysiek I don't think that the criteria ("to make you laugh, then make you think") are met.

Sister Lucy Fur 6d ago

@rysiek Of course, to be on the safe side and in the name of everything gosh golly gee, I trust they will institute the DEMANDED IgNobel Booby Prize. Herr Shitler will be so happy to get another prize!

Eric Lawton 6d ago

I understand why. I'm certainly not going to the USA again for a long time.

OTOH, a country with a parody of a government, headed by someone with a parody Peace Prize, would otherwise have been a good place for a parody award ceremony.

Baloo Uriza 6d ago

@rysiek I guess this means the Republicans are in the running for the ig-Nobel peace prize?

Dan Frumin 4d ago

@rysiek you are so right, the joke ig nobles conference is definitely more serious than NeurIPS. that is totally true and makes sense