Ig Nobels ceremony moves to Europe over security concerns

"Four of last year's 10 winners opted to skip the ceremony rather than travel to the US, and the situation has not improved. Nor is it just the Ig Nobels being affected by the hostile US environment for international travel. Many international gaming developers are choosing to skip this year's weeklong Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, citing similar concerns."

"I honestly don't know anyone who is not from the US who is planning on going to the next GDC. We never felt super safe, but now we are not willing to risk it."

"Switzerland has nurtured many unexpected good things-Albert Einstein's physics, the world economy, and the cuckoo clock leap to mind-and is again helping the world appreciate improbable people and ideas. The Ig Nobels will not be returning to the US any time soon. Instead, the plan is for Zurich to host every second year; every odd-numbered year, the ceremony will be hosted by a different European city."

The Ig Nobel Prize ceremony, traditionally held in Boston at Harvard University, MIT, and Boston University, is relocating due to declining international attendance. Four of last year's ten winners skipped the ceremony rather than travel to the US. International concerns about the US travel environment are also affecting other major events, such as the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, where many international developers are choosing not to attend. In response, Ig Nobel organizers partnered with ETH Domain and the University of Zurich to host the ceremony. Switzerland will host the event every other year, while different European cities will host in odd-numbered years, similar to the Eurovision Song Contest model.

Read at Ars Technica