Health/Science calendar

The 18th First Annual Ig Nobel Prize Ceremony The science humor magazine, Annals of Improbably Research, honors winners for achievements that make people laugh and think. At 7:30 p.m., at Harvard University Memorial Hall, 45 Quincy St. Go to improbable.com/ig/2008/ or call the Harvard Box Office at 617-496-2222.

Sustaining Life: A Conversation Dr. Eric Chivian, founder and director of the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School and a 1985 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, along with Edward O. Wilson, a world-renowned scientist, two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author and professor emeritus at Harvard University, will discuss why humans can no longer be separate from the natural world, nor assume that they will be unharmed by its alteration. At 7 p.m., at the Museum of Science, 1 Science Park. Book signing to follow. Go to mos.org. Tickets $15.

Boston Harbor Island Science Symposium Join scientists, marine educators, students, park rangers, and others at an event that will highlight active research from the islands and waters in the Boston Harbor Islands national park area. Registration (for $10) begins at 8 a.m. Session on biodiversity at 9:30 a.m.; session on tracking the changes to park and harbor resources at 1 p.m., with a panel discussion at 4 p.m. At the University of Massachusetts Campus Center. Go to nps.gov/boha/sciencesymposium.htm.

The Ig Formal Lectures A half-afternoon of improbably funny, informative, brief, high-spirited public lectures, in which the new Ig Nobel Prize recipients will attempt to explain what they did, and why they did it. At 1 p.m., at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Building 10, 77 Massachusetts Ave. Go to improbable.com.

Technologies for Detecting Breast Cancer: What is Best for Me? The Museum of Science hosts an afternoon conversation with scientific experts as they discuss the latest breast cancer detection technologies. At 2 p.m., at the Museum of Science, 1 Science Park. Go to mos.org.

Events may be sent to healthscience@globe.com.