How Smelly Shoes Inspired India's Ig Nobel Prize-Winning Study
Two Indian researchers, Vikash Kumar and Sarthak Mittal, have won the Ig Nobel Prize for their innovative study addressing a universal problem: smelly shoes. Their research led to the development of a UVC light-equipped shoe rack designed to eliminate odour-causing bacteria.
The Origins of a Stinky Problem
The idea originated at Shiv Nadar University, where Mr. Mittal noticed shoes piling up outside hostel rooms. Initially, they considered designing a better shoe rack, but they soon discovered that the real issue wasn't space, but the unpleasant smell emanating from the footwear.
“It wasn't about space or a lack of shoe racks - there was plenty of room. The problem was frequent sweating and the constant use of shoes that made them smelly," said Mr. Mittal. This observation led them to investigate the science behind shoe odour and its impact on the user experience.
The Science Behind the Stink and the Solution
Their survey of 149 university students revealed that over half had felt embarrassed by shoe odour. Knowing that Kytococcus sedentarius bacteria was the culprit, they experimented with ultraviolet (UVC) light, discovering that a short exposure effectively killed the microbes and eliminated the smell.
Their experiments showed that just 2–3 minutes of UVC treatment was sufficient to kill the bacteria and eliminate the foul smell. However, they noted that excessive light could burn the shoe rubber. This led them to prototype a shoe rack with integrated UVC lights.
The Ig Nobel Recognition and the Future of Shoe Racks
The Ig Nobel Prize, awarded by the Annals of Improbable Research, recognizes scientific endeavors that "make people laugh, then think." Kumar and Mittal's work perfectly embodies this spirit. The team noted, "We had no idea about the prize...The Ig Nobel team just found us, called us up, and that in itself makes you laugh and think."
The 2025 Ig Nobel Prize recognized achievements like pizza-loving lizards and zebra-striped cows alongside the UV shoe-racks. This highlights the unique and creative approach to scientific inquiry the Ig Nobel Prizes champion.
Other Quirky Winners in 2025
- Italian scientists explored how rainbow lizards developed a taste for pizza.
- Japanese researchers painted cows with zebra stripes to cut fly bites.
- A German psychologist found that alcohol can help people speak a foreign language better.
- A late American doctor was recognised for tracking the growth of a fingernail over 35 years.
Vikash Kumar and Sarthak Mittal have now won the Ig Nobel in engineering design and are India's 22nd Ig Nobel winners.
For Kumar and Mittal, the message is simple — even everyday annoyances like smelly shoes can inspire innovation. And sometimes, the world will reward you for it.
