Japanese doctor wins scientific award for research on how humans may breathe through the butt

Japanese doctor studies how humans can breathe through the butt

A Japanese doctor and his team have been awarded the Ig Nobel Prize for their research on how humans might be able to breathe or absorb oxygen through the butt.

Led by Professor Takanori Takebe from Tokyo Medical and Dental University, the study presents a unique — and amusing — potential solution to respiratory issues.

The Ig Nobel Prize, a satirical counterpoint to the prestigious Nobel Prize, honours unconventional and imaginative (but entirely legitimate) studies that are often overlooked by mainstream academic awards.

This year’s 34th annual award was presented on 12 Sept at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Japanese scientists reveal mammals can breathe through the butt

The Ig Noble Prize, founded in 1991, honours achievements that “first make people laugh, and then make them think”. It is awarded in various categories, including peace, botany, and medicine.

This year, Professor Takebe and his team were awarded the Ig Nobel Prize in Physiology — by a panel of Nobel Laureates — for their study on “enteral ventilation via anus” (EVA).

The study was published in the journal Med in 2021.

Inspired by loaches — fish that can absorb oxygen through their posterior — Dr Takebe explored whether humans could do the same.

Given that medications are absorbed quickly when administered rectally, he theorised that oxygen could be similarly absorbed.

To overcome the risks of injecting air into the rectum, the team developed a specialised oxygen-rich fluid that could be safely delivered through a tube, similar to an enema.

Experiments on pigs and mice showed significant improvement in respiratory symptoms, with no major side effects.

The researchers believe this could offer a “transformative approach” for patients with respiratory failure, particularly those suffering from COVID-19.

“First and foremost, thank you for believing in the potential of the anus,” Professor Takebe said during his acceptance speech at the awards ceremony, where he and his team donned loach hats.

EVA treatment nods to anime Evangelion

The process, aptly named EVA as a reference to the popular anime ‘Evangelion’, is now the focus of EVA Therapeutics Inc, a startup founded by Professor Takebe.

Clinical trials to test the safety and efficacy of the treatment began in June, with plans to commercialise it by 2028 in Japan and 2030 in the US.

The treatment aims to help those with respiratory conditions such as pneumonia, and could prove useful in emergency situations where ventilators are scarce, a critical issue seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This marks the 18th consecutive year that a Japanese national has claimed the humorous Ig Nobel Prize, awarded by the US scientific magazine Annals of Improbable Research.

Winners receive the symbolic cash prize of 100 trillion Zimbabwean dollars (S$0.52).

Also read: Man from Japan sleeps only 30 minutes a day for past 12 years to ‘double’ his life 

Man from Japan sleeps only 30 minutes a day for past 12 years to ‘double’ his life

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Featured image adapted from The Japan Times and rattanakun on Canva. Right image is for illustration purposes only.