Nobel Prize Announcements

[GordMay]

The 2020 Nobel Prize announcements began Monday, October 5, with the naming of winners, in the field of physiology and medicine.

The 2020 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine was awarded jointly to Harvey J. Alter, Michael Houghton and Charles M. Rice, for the discovery of the hepatitis C virus.
➥ https://www.nobelprizemedicine.org/

Nobel Prize announcements 2020: The prize-awarding institutions have decided to announce their 2020 prize decisions as follows:
➥ https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/ab...ncement-dates/

[GordMay]

Three Laureates share this year’s Nobel Prize in Physics for their discoveries about one of the most exotic phenomena in the universe, the black hole.

Roger Penrose showed that the general theory of relativity leads to the formation of black holes.
Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez discovered that an invisible and extremely heavy object governs the orbits of stars at the centre of our galaxy. A supermassive black hole is the only currently known explanation.
More ➥ https://www.nobelprize.org/uploads/2...sprize2020.pdf

[GordMay]

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry: Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A. Doudna
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2020 to Emmanuelle Charpentier, Max Planck Unit for the Science of Pathogens, Berlin, Germany and Jennifer A. Doudna, University of California, Berkeley, USA, “for the development of a method for genome editing” (CRISPR/Cas9 genetic scissors).
➥ https://www.kva.se/en/pressrum/press...et-i-kemi-2020


Jennifer Doudna reviews how CRISPR-Cas9 works -- and asks the scientific community to pause and discuss the ethics of this new tool.
➥ https://www.ted.com/talks/jennifer_d...s_edit_our_dna

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Three Laureates share this year’s Nobel Prize in Physics for their discoveries about one of the most exotic phenomena in the universe, the black hole.

Roger Penrose showed that the general theory of relativity leads to the formation of black holes.
Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez discovered that an invisible and extremely heavy object governs the orbits of stars at the centre of our galaxy. A supermassive black hole is the only currently known explanation.
More ➥ https://www.nobelprize.org/uploads/2...sprize2020.pdf

I loved reading Penrose as a kid. I had some of his books. Also, it’s a shame Stephen Hawking wasn’t able to be around to receive this.

[GordMay]

The Nobel Prize in Literature 2020 was awarded to Louise Glück (poet), "for her unmistakable poetic voice that with austere beauty makes individual existence universal."
➥ https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/li...t_announcement

[Thumbs Up]

Why did they give Obama a Nobel peace prize on his first year in office? Didn't the US drop a lot of bombs that year? (and every year!)

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Thumbs Up

Why did they give Obama a Nobel peace prize on his first year in office? Didn't the US drop a lot of bombs that year? (and every year!)

The Nobel Peace Prize in inherently political. It is not based on objective merit or achievement.

[Adelie]

While it is inherently political, most recipients can reasonably be said to have deserved recognition of some sort.

[Thumbs Up]

It's political? We can't talk about that here.

[Chris31415]

Originally Posted by Chotu

I loved reading Penrose as a kid. I had some of his books. Also, it’s a shame Stephen Hawking wasn’t able to be around to receive this.

Not sure Hawking would have been part of this one. My sense is that his would follow the detection of Hawking radiation, which probably isn’t going to happen anytime soon.

[bgallinger]

I note that Trump has been nominated three times for the Nobel Peace prize. Nothing in CF about that?

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by bgallinger

I note that Trump has been nominated three times for the Nobel Peace prize. Nothing in CF about that?

That's what I mean by political.

The other Nobels are adjudicated in subjects that lend themselves to objective criteria. The peace prize is adjudicated by politicians.

I suppose "peace" itself is political, so maybe that's the only way it can happen. And happily, most of the recipients are well deserved of the award. But then you get counter examples like Obama, or these Trump nominations, which sully the whole process.

[Franziska]

So have several 100 of other people.
Hardly a point for him behaving as if he has actually won it.

Btw. the guy who nominated him is a highly controversial figure himself...

Originally Posted by bgallinger

I note that Trump has been nominated three times for the Nobel Peace prize. Nothing in CF about that?

[barnakiel]

I am glad the poetess got it.


I find her poetry absolutely delicious.


And so her getting the prize proves I am a man of good taste.


b.

[Tellie]

Gord, I'm a bit surprised. If it were anyone else I might think Troll. Been here long enough to figure this thread going the way of guns, anchors, Ginger or MaryAnn.