October 3, 2011
Shiga University of Medical Science researchers were recently awarded the Ig Nobel Prize for their wasabi alarm, which releases an odorant made of concentrated wasabi to rouse people from slumber during an emergency like a house fire. Although the smell wouldn't exactly be pleasant, it would at least spare your neighbors from the noise pollution of a traditional smoke alarm.
Other unusual Ig Nobel prize winners included a study on a beetle species that mates with Australian beer bottles and additional research on how the urge to urinate affects individuals' ability to make decisions. Would you install the wasabi alarm in your home?
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