London, October 02 : The designers of a bra that turns into gas masks have received the 2009 Ig Nobel prize organized by the magazine Annals of Improbable Research.

The undergarment can be converted into one mask for the wearer and one for a needy bystander.

Also a team that found named cows produced more milk bagged the honour.

Catherine Douglas and Peter Rowlinson from the agriculture, food and rural development department of Newcastle University, were the only UK recipients in the ceremony.

The BBC News reports that Catherine was "thrilled" to have been selected and was a "big fan of the Ig Nobel awards".

The researcher was not present at the event but she revealed that they came to know that cows with names were more prolific milk-producers during their research into improving dairy cow welfare.

She stressed that the aim of the study was to reduce stress and fear by improving "the human-animal relationship".

She said: "[This research] showed that the majority of UK dairy farmers are caring individuals who respect and love their herd.”

Ig Nobel prizes honors achievements that "first make people laugh and then make them think".

Keeping with it, peace prize was awarded to a Swiss research team who determined whether it is better to be hit over the head with a full or empty bottle of beer. (ANI)