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- A team of Japanese researchers has been awarded the 2024 Ig Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine for demonstrating that mammals, including humans, can absorb oxygen through their...
- The Ig Nobel Prizes, awarded annually by the science humor magazine Annals of Improbable Research, honor research that "first makes people laugh, and then makes them think." The...
- Akira Fujishima at the University of Tokyo, investigated the absorption of oxygen through the rectal mucosa in various mammals, including pigs, rats, and rabbits.
Rectal oxygenation: Japanese Scientists Win IG Nobel Prize for mammalian Research
Published September 19, 2024
What Happened?
A team of Japanese researchers has been awarded the 2024 Ig Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine for demonstrating that mammals, including humans, can absorb oxygen through their rectums. The research, initially published in 2021, explored the potential for rectal oxygenation as a life-saving technique in emergency situations. The award was presented at the annual Ig Nobel Prize ceremony at Harvard University on September 12, 2024 [Improbable Research].
The Ig Nobel Prizes, awarded annually by the science humor magazine Annals of Improbable Research, honor research that “first makes people laugh, and then makes them think.” The prizes are presented by Nobel laureates and aim to celebrate the unusual and often overlooked corners of scientific inquiry.[Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine]
The Research: How Does Rectal Oxygenation Work?
The study, led by Dr. Akira Fujishima at the University of Tokyo, investigated the absorption of oxygen through the rectal mucosa in various mammals, including pigs, rats, and rabbits. Researchers administered oxygen via enema and measured the resulting blood oxygen levels. The results demonstrated a measurable increase in blood oxygenation, suggesting the rectum can function as an option site for gas exchange. [National Centre for Biotechnology Data]
While the amount of oxygen absorbed rectally is substantially less than through the lungs, the researchers propose it might very well be a valuable emergency technique for individuals with severe respiratory distress, such as those experiencing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) or during situations where conventional oxygen delivery methods are unavailable. The study highlights the surprising adaptability of mammalian physiology