On the lighter side

I almost missed this: the IgNobel prizes for 2025. Example: the Pediatrics prize The present study investigated the effects of garlic ingestion by the mother on the odor of her breast milk and the suckling behavior of her infant. Evaluation of the milk samples by a sensory panel revealed garlic ingestion significantly and consistently increased the perceived intensity of the milk odor; ... That the nursling detected these changes in mother's milk is suggested by the finding that infants were attached to the breast for longer periods of time and sucked more when the milk smelled like garlic.

BBC spotted the Engineering prize: a study on using UVC in shoe racks to elminate odor. (It works, provided you don't run the light too long, at which point the shoes start to smell like burnt rubber.)

The Peace prize went to a study showing that "drinking alcohol sometimes improves a person’s ability to speak in a foreign language". "Participants who consumed alcohol had significantly better observer-ratings for their Dutch language, specifically better pronunciation, compared with those who did not consume alcohol."