Upside down rhinos and nose-clearing orgasm studies win Ig Nobel prize

Research from the more unusual realms of science is recognised every year at this alternative awards ceremony

Groundbreaking studies into how well beards soften punches to the face, the benefits of transporting rhinoceroses upside down, and orgasms as a nasal decongestant were honoured on Thursday night with one of the most coveted awards in science: the Ig Nobel prize.

Not to be confused with the more prestigious - and lucrative - Nobel awards, to be announced from Stockholm and Oslo next month, the Ig Nobels celebrate the quirkier realms of science, rewarding research that first makes people laugh and then makes them think.