The 2025 Ig Nobel Prizes recognized Vikash Kumar and Sarthak Mittal from India for their engineering design analysis of how foul-smelling shoes affect the user experience of shoe racks. The ceremony, conducted virtually from Harvard University, showcased a range of unconventional studies that blend humor with scientific inquiry. Other notable winners included researchers examining the effects of moderate alcohol consumption on foreign language proficiency and a study on zebra-striped cows that attracted fewer flies. The Ig Nobel Prizes, established in 1991, aim to celebrate research that first makes people laugh and then encourages deeper thinking. This year marked India's 22nd win, reflecting the country's ongoing contribution to innovative and whimsical research.