Improbable Dramatic Readings

Cambridge Science Festival is a week-long, annual celebration of science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM). A multifaceted, multicultural event, the Festival makes science accessible, interactive and fun, highlighting the impact of STEAM in all our lives.From Monday September 25 to Sunday October 1, the Festival offers more than 250 events and activities in more than 70 venues, all free and open to the public, shining a city-wide spotlight on curiosity, innovation and inspiration.

Cambridge Science Festival

A satirical event of brief dramatic readings — an evening that makes you laugh…then think.

MIT Welcome Center

Hosted by Marc Abrahams, founder of the cult-favorite <a href="https://improbable.com/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Ig Nobel Prizes</a>, Improbable Dramatic Readings is a satirical event during which science luminaries (of various wattage) will each do brief dramatic readings from seemingly absurd but totally genuine research studies and patents. They will then take questions from the audience — despite having no previous knowledge of the studies they will be reading — and must do their best to justify and make sense of the madness.

An evening that makes you laugh…then think.F﻿URTHER INFORMATIONThe Ig Nobel Prizes honor achievements that make people LAUGH, then THINK. The prizes are intended to celebrate the unusual, honor the imaginative — and spur people’s interest in science, medicine, and technology.

A History of the Ceremony

Every September, in a gala ceremony in Harvard University’s Sanders Theatre, 1100 splendidly eccentric spectators watch the new winners step forward to accept their Prizes. These are physically handed to them by genuine (and genuinely bemused) Nobel Laureates. Thousands more, around the world, watch the live broadcast online. During these pandemic years, the ceremony happened entirely online.

Magazine (Annals of Improbable Research)

Real research, about anything and everything, from everywhere — research that’s maybe good or bad, important or trivial, valuable or worthless. Compiled for you, by the producers of the Ig Nobel Prize ceremony. Six (6) new Improbable magazine issues every year!

About Marc Abrahams

Le Monde called Marc “<a href="https://www.lemonde.fr/sciences/article/2019/08/31/marc-abrahams-pape-de-la-science-improbable_5504981_1650684.html" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">pape de la science improbable</a>” [the Pope of improbable science]. The Washington Post called him “<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/opinions/1997/11/02/unconventional-wisdom-new-facts-and-hot-stats-from-the-social-sciences/8ea6a95d-4a36-48a9-8814-e2b963dea999/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">the nation’s guru of academic grunge.</a>” The Journal of the American Medical Association called him “the Puck of Science.” He has been called many other things. The Guardian said Marc’s writing is “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/nov/28/christmas-gifts-2012-best-science-books" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">rationalism taken to intoxicating extremes</a>“.

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Improbable Dramatic Readings

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