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1999 Nobel Science Prizes Announced
Andrew Childs writes "The 1999 Nobel Prizes in the sciences have been announced. The physics prize goes to Gerardus 't Hooft and Martinus Veltman "for elucidating the quantum structure of electroweak interactions in physics." The chemistry prize goes to Ahmed Zewail "for his studies of the transition states of chemical reactions using femtosecond spectroscopy." And the prize in physiology or medicine goes to Gunter Blobel "for the discovery that proteins have intrinsic signals that govern their transport and localization in the cell." "
book to a pre-1970's section and start reading.
It used to suck.
Did it? Sure, there were other things to worry about then, but I maintain that the human condition was in a much better state back then than it is now. Computers only seem to get in the way most of the time. Sure, you can make a small exception in the field of scientific research, but think about all the other things we've lost due to the advent of the personal computer.
People are less productive at work. (Studies have proven this again and again.)
The government finds it much easier to maintain huge databases of people and their habits. It's a simple matter nowadays to find out any information you want about anyone -- something that was out of reach for anyone in the past who couldn't afford a private inspector is now as simple as entering your credit card and waiting for a tidy report of your neighbors' dirty laundry to arrive in your electronic mailbox. We have less privacy than before.
Think of how much time you waste wrestling with your computer every day, every week, every month. Add it all up. Some day, you'll want that time back.
So science has grown us a healthier tomato plant and given us the ability to maintain erections well into our sixties, and computers are a part of that. Small contribution compared to the rather enormous chunks of life and liberty they've usurped from us.
Has your quality of life really improved?
- A.P.
--
"One World, one Web, one Program" - Microsoft promotional ad
"Remember when the U.S. had a drug problem, and then we declared a War On Drugs, and now you can't buy drugs anymore?"
The closest thing to a Nobel in computer science is the Turing Award, given by the ACM.
For mathematics, the closest equivalent is the Fields medal.
I'm sure biographers have had a wonderful time guessing what influences in his life led him to favor those particular five fields.
In any case, Nobel himself specified it that way; you can't just add another prize for your favorite field. At best, you could try to establish another "memorial" prize, like the one for economics. This is probably good: if you could, everyone would be agitating for their favorite hero to get the coveted Nobel prize. And if they succeeded, then the prize wouldn't exactly be coveted any more...
't Hooft has a little FAQ on 'Can Theoretical Physics explain paranormal phenomena?' find it at http://www.phys.uu.nl/~thooft/para.html . also, check out his PostScript pictures, he even has one of a 'living black hole'!
had two classes with this guy, so i am excited to finally see him get what he deserved a long time ago.
patrick.
To all the people asking why there is no nobel in math of comp. sci....there have been many people asking the same question about mechanical engineering, civil engineering, aeronautics, etc., for years. Keep in mind that the Nobel prizes were awarded more than 100 years ago, so these fields were very valuable and saved millions of lives many decades ago, and yet did not merit a Nobel.
i story.html
The answer is in the intent and purpose of the prize. Also, the nobel in Economics arrived recently, in the 1960s, and is titled
"The Sveriges Riksbank (Bank of Sweden) Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel." It is in many ways different from the "original prizes".
Check out the history for the answers, and as to why there is no Nobel in mathematics.
http://www.lib.lsu.edu/sci/chem/guides/srs118_h
L.
Ahh, the Nobel Prizes. Now this is an event worthy of seeing. Of course, since I can't attend in person, I won't be able to. It'd be nice if they were televised:
Announcer: "And the Nobel for Physics goes to...."
(Cut to shot of nervous hopefuls)
Announcer: "Gerardus 't Hooft and Martinus Veltman, for elucidating the quantum structure of electroweak interactions in physics!"
(The duo look surprised and go up to the stage to claim their prize. The audience cheers happily, though those who were not nominees have no idea what the announcer said)
Veltman: "What can I say? This is indeed a proud moment for us both. We'd like to thank everyone in our lab for helping us. And our families, for supporting us morally."
Hooft: "And Elvis."
(Veltman just gives Hooft an odd look)
Announcer: "And there you have it. Coming up next, the nobel prize for Chemistry! Right after this word from our sponsor...."
-Denor
To avoid Slashdotting Sweden, the primary US mirror is http://nobel.sdsc.edu/announcement-99 , and the announcement is also mirrored at several SUNsites.