For which he received the Nobel Prize. Why did Richard Thaler win the Nobel Prize in Economics?
The Nobel Prize is the highest award awarded for achievements in science, inventions and contributions to culture, as well as for the development of society. The tradition of rewarding people for works that contribute to the progress of mankind was introduced on the basis of Nobel's will. So what can you get Nobel Prize, which implies the presentation of not only a commemorative sign, but also a substantial cash prize of more than $1 million. The award is given to specialists in physics, chemistry, literature, economics, medicine, as well as for establishing peace on earth.
How to get a Nobel Prize?
Get this world award people who were able to make a discovery, and for this you need to go a certain way. What does it take to win a Nobel Prize:
- Start by getting higher education in the areas listed above. You will have to complete a master's degree and defend a dissertation.
- Having a Ph.D. or Ph.D. degree, one must make a discovery that will be useful to the whole world. As for literature, the work must be original and stand out among everyone. You should not expect that immediately after that you will be included in the list of applicants, since it usually takes about 30 years from the moment of opening to receiving the award.
- After the discovery is made, you need to work on your popularity, since at least 600 leading experts should know about your work. To do this, you need to participate in various exhibitions, presentations, be published in newspapers and magazines, etc. Fame is needed so that during the survey conducted by the Nobel Committee, professionals in their field mentioned you as a worthy participant.
- After that, the Nobel Committee and the Swedish Academy of Sciences conduct numerous consultations with various experts, and the most worthy applicants are selected from the list received, thanks to a survey. After that, a vote takes place, in which the members of the Nobel Committee participate, which makes it possible to determine the winners. If a person gets on this list, then soon he will receive a notice and can prepare for the Nobel lecture.
Speaking about how to get the Nobel Prize in economics, physics and other sciences, it will be interesting to look into the existing predictions of scientists for the future. For example, in physics in the coming years, one should not expect serious discoveries, since only the strengthening and expansion of existing theory. Unfavorable prognosis in chemistry, so, according to the committee, it is no longer possible to make any discoveries. Biology has the greatest prospects for truly brilliant discoveries. Practically all research is carried out in the field of clones and genes.
It will also be interesting to know where the Nobel Prize is awarded and when the ceremony takes place. So, they collect the laureates for awarding on December 10 on the day of Nobel's death in the capital of Sweden at the Royal Academy of Music, but the peace prize is given in the capital of Norway. For several years now, the Peace Prize has been awarded not for what has already been done, 
but for future achievements that improve life.
Why don't mathematicians win the Nobel Prize?
Many are surprised by this fact, but Alfred Nobel himself decided so. There are several versions of why this happened. For example, mathematicians say that the scientist simply forgot to dictate it to the secretary, indicating the list of sciences for which it is worth giving the prize, believing that this goes without saying. Some argue that Alfred excluded mathematics quite consciously, since when creating dynamite, he did not use it, which means that science is completely unnecessary. According to the third version, forgetting about mathematics, Nobel took revenge on his wife's admirer, who was renowned professor this particular science.
The Nobel Prize (Swedish Nobelpriset, English Nobel Prize) is one of the most prestigious international prizes awarded annually for outstanding scientific research, revolutionary inventions or a major contribution to culture or society.
History
November 27, 1895 in Paris, Alfred Nobel signed latest version his famous will, according to which the bulk of his fortune should go to the creation of a fund and the establishment of a prize to encourage pioneers in the field of physics, chemistry, physiology and medicine, as well as men of letters and those who have done the most for peace in the previous year, regardless from nationality. The prizes in the field of science and literature were supposed to be awarded in Sweden, and the peace prize - in Norway. From this will began the history of the Nobel Prize, the fund of which amounted to 31 million crowns.
Nobel Prizes have been awarded annually (since 1901) for outstanding work in the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine and physiology, economics (since 1969), literary works, for activities to promote peace.
The awarding of Nobel Prizes is entrusted to the Royal Academy of Sciences in Stockholm (for physics, chemistry, economics), the Royal Karolinska Institute of Medicine and Surgery in Stockholm (for physiology or medicine) and the Swedish Academy in Stockholm (for literature); In Norway, the Nobel Committee of Parliament awards the Nobel Peace Prizes. Nobel Prizes are not awarded posthumously.
The first Nobel Banquet took place on December 10, 1901, at the same time as the first award ceremony. Currently, the banquet is held in the Blue Hall of the City Hall. 1300-1400 people are invited to the banquet. Dress code - tailcoats and evening dresses. The chefs of the Town Hall Cellar (town hall restaurant) and chefs who have ever received the title of Chef of the Year are involved in the development of the menu. In September, three menu options are tasted by members of the Nobel Committee, who decide what will be served "at the Nobel table." Always known only dessert - ice cream. And then until the evening of December 10, no one, except for a narrow circle of initiates, knows what kind.
The Nobel Concert is one of the three components of the Nobel Week, along with the awarding of prizes and the Nobel Dinner. It is considered one of the main musical events of the year in Europe and the main musical event of the year in the Scandinavian countries. The most prominent classical musicians of our time take part in it. The Nobel Concert is broadcast on several international TV channels on December 31 every year. According to Nobel's will, the prize was to be awarded for discoveries, inventions and achievements made in the year of the award. This provision is de facto not respected.
Prize Rules
The main document regulating the rules for awarding the prize is the statute of the Nobel Foundation.
The Prize can only be awarded to individuals and not to institutions (other than Peace Prizes). The Peace Prize can be awarded both to individuals and to official and public organizations.
According to § 4 of the statute, one or two works can be encouraged at the same time, but at the same time total number awarded should not exceed three. Although this rule was introduced only in 1968, it has always been de facto observed. At the same time, the monetary reward is divided among the laureates as follows: the prize is first divided equally between the works, and then equally between their authors. Thus, if two different discoveries are awarded, one of which was made by two, then the latter receive 1/4 of the monetary part of the prize. And if one discovery is awarded, which was made by two or three, everyone receives equally (1/2 or 1/3 of the prize, respectively).
It also states in § 4 that the prize cannot be awarded posthumously. However, if the applicant was alive at the time of the announcement of the award (usually in October), but died before the award ceremony (December 10 current year), then the premium is retained. This rule was adopted in 1974, and before that the prize had been awarded posthumously twice: to Erik Karlfeldt in 1931 and to Dag Hammarskjöld in 1961. However, in 2011, the rule was broken when, by decision of the Nobel Committee, Ralph Steinman was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine posthumously, since at the time of the award, the Nobel Committee considered him alive.
According to § 5 of the statute, the prize may not be awarded to anyone at all if the members of the relevant committee have not found worthy works among those put forward for competition. In this case, the prize funds are kept until the next year. If the next year the prize was not awarded, the funds are transferred to the closed reserve of the Nobel Foundation.
What amount are we talking about?
At the time of Alfred Nobel's death, the prize was over SEK 31 million. At the moment, the capital of the Nobel Prize Fund is estimated at about 500 million US dollars.
Why is there no Nobel Prize in Mathematics?
Mathematicians themselves believe that one cannot do without their science anywhere. Alfred Nobel forgot to mention the subject. I decided that along with physics and chemistry, it goes without saying.
The townsfolk have a different explanation why the Nobel Prize in mathematics is not awarded. This is an abstract science that is not useful to everyone. What does humanity get from a new way of solving the most complicated equation?.. Therefore, the subject was not included in the list of nominations.
In the press, jokes are “favorite” in which the decision of the founder of the Nobel Prize is explained by personal motives. Names of the proposed theories:
- Franco-American version. The Swedish mathematician Mittag-Leffler persistently courted the wife of Alfred Nobel. Moreover, the latter began to reciprocate the scientist, which offended the dignity of the inventor of dynamite. The founder of the award took revenge on his opponent by deleting “pseudo-science” from his will.
- Swedish version. There was a conflict between Nobel and Mittag-Leffler. And the reasons are not related to the betrayal of the testator's wife. The inventor understood that Leffler would get the prize in mathematics. After all, the latter is a leader in its field. Nobel did not allow this.
People also “love” the story about the theatre. A certain admirer allegedly kissed the hand of Nobel's wife Sophie so enthusiastically that he did not notice how he stepped on the unlucky spouse's foot. Later, Alfred found out that the suitor was a professor of mathematics.
Such versions in the scientific world are considered anecdotal. And there is official evidence of this. Alfred Nobel was not married. Mittag-Leffler existed. The Swedish mathematician sought to have a talented woman Sofya Kovalevskaya (in anecdotes - "wife") be admitted to Stockholm University for a professorship. And Nobel, as one of the sponsors, did not allow this.
Later, Leffler persuaded the inventor to leave part of the state to the university. The mathematician was overly persistent, which irritated Nobel. The scientist achieved nothing. It only angered the founder of the award: the latter deleted Stockholm University from his will.
Historians and scientists themselves have more plausible versions why the “Nobel for mathematicians” is not available:
- The founder of the award was engaged in life in chemistry, physics and medicine, was fond of literature. He fought for the strengthening of peace. Participated in anti-slavery societies. Therefore, these five areas were included in the list of nominations.
- Nobel established the prize only for experimental sciences for those achievements that have brought real benefits to people. Theoretical subjects were not included in the will. It is impossible to objectively evaluate their discoveries. Check the result experimentally - too.
Einstein's theory of relativity is of little use to mankind: the discovery is significant only for a certain circle of people. But his own theory of the photoelectric effect made a tangible contribution to the development of the whole society. Therefore, the scientist received a prestigious award for the latter.
What will comfort them?
Mathematicians themselves are not very offended that Nobel bypassed their science. The Nobel Prize is a socially significant award, with huge cash prizes and a magnificent ceremony. It is difficult to call it purely scientific. It is far from always that scientists who have made a tangible contribution to science rise to the podium. Their achievements are more important for society.
Mathematicians are awarded other prestigious prizes. And here the nominees are those who have made a huge contribution to mathematical science.
Fields Medal
The most prestigious award in the field of mathematics. Nominees receive a cash prize and gold medal. Founder - John Fields, President of the VII International Mathematical Congress (1924). Awarded on permanent basis since 1936 2-4 scientists.
Abel Prize
Formally (but not in meaning), the Abel Prize is closer to the Nobel Prize. Awarded since 2003 at the initiative of the Norwegian government. Named after Niels Henrik Abel.
The winner of the Abel award is a scientist who has made a significant contribution to the development of mathematics (without reference to age). The value of the award is comparable to the value of the "Nobel Prize" (more than 1 million US dollars). Awarded annually.
The Nobel Prize is not available to mathematicians. The real reasons are hardly related to the personal motives of its founder. Mathematical discoveries have no practical significance. And this is one of important conditions receiving a Nobel Prize.
When were the first Nobel Prizes awarded?
The first Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1901. Nobel allocated 94% of his fortune to the prize fund. His will was contested by family members and was later approved by the Swedish government.
How many people have won the Nobel Prize?
The Nobel Prize has been awarded 567 times. However, on several occasions more than one nominee received it. In total, 860 people and 22 organizations became laureates.
Have there been years when the Nobel Prize was not awarded?
Were. Since 1901, the Nobel Prize has not been awarded 49 times. Most not awards falls on the years of the First (1914-1918) and Second (1939-1945) World Wars. In addition, the statutes of the Nobel Prize Fund state that if “… none of the works are of sufficient importance, the prize money must be set aside until next year. If there are no worthy discoveries for the second year in a row, then the funds will go to the fund.”
In what areas are the most commonly awarded Nobel Prizes?
The Nobel Prizes in Physics were most often awarded for discoveries in the field of physics. elementary particles, in chemistry - for discoveries in biochemistry, in medicine - in genetics, in economics - in macroeconomics, and in literature - for prose.
What countries have won the most Nobel laureates?
In first place is the United States of America with 257 laureates. On the second - Great Britain with 93, on the third - Germany with 80. Russia has 27 laureates. According to the rules of the Nobel Committee, this does not include people, for example, those born in Russia or the USSR, but who made discoveries in another country. Or writers who wrote in Russian, but who by that time were citizens of other countries, for example, Ivan Bunin in 1933 or Joseph Brodsky in 1987.
At what age do they become Nobel Prize winners?
In very different ways: Malala Yousafzai became the youngest laureate last year. She received the Peace Prize at the age of only 17. The oldest was 90-year-old Leonid Gurvich, who received the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2007.
Are there women among the winners?
Yes, although they are in the minority. In total, women received awards 47 times. And only one of them - Marie Curie - received it twice: once in physics, the other in chemistry. So in total, 46 women became Nobel Prize winners.
Was it so that the Nobel Prize was refused voluntarily?
Certainly. But only twice: French writer Jean-Paul Sartre refused the Literature Prize in 1964 because he did not recognize official awards at all. And the Vietnamese politician Le Duc Tho refused the Peace Prize in 1973, saying that he did not consider it possible to accept it because of the situation in the country.
What about forced?
It was like that. Adolf Hitler banned three scientists: the chemist Richard Kuhn, the biochemist Adolf Butenandt and the bacteriologist Gerhard Domagk from accepting the prize. Later, they were able to receive medals and diplomas, but not prize money.
The Soviet poet and writer Boris Pasternak initially agreed to accept the Nobel Prize, but then, under pressure from the authorities, refused it.
And posthumously?
Yes and no. The status of the Nobel Foundation determines that the prize can only be awarded to a living person. However, if at the time of the announcement of the result he was still alive, but had already died by the time the award was given, then he is still considered Nobel Laureate. In 2011, the Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to Ralph Steinman. After the announcement of the result, it turned out that he had already died three days ago. After a meeting of the board of the Nobel Committee, it was decided to leave him on the list of laureates, because the Nobel Commission of the Royal Karolinska Institute did not know about his death at the time of the decision.
Were there family Nobel Prizes?
And how! And the greatest contribution to this small list was made by the Joliot-Curie family. The following family laureates came out of it: two married couples: Marie and Pierre Curie and Irene Joliot-Curie and Frederic Joliot, mother and daughter: Marie Curie and Irene Joliot-Curie, and father and daughter: Pierre Curie and Irene Joliot Curie.
Every year, for many years, the Nobel Prize has been awarded in Stockholm (Sweden) and Oslo (Norway).
The award is very prestigious and is awarded only to the most deserving representatives who have achieved significant achievements and play an important role in the development of all mankind. In the article we have grouped Nobel Prize winners from Russia and the USSR by fields of science.
History of the Nobel Prize
The prize was invented by Alfred Nobel, after whom it is called. He was also the first laureate to receive the award for the invention of dynamite in 1867. In 1890, the Nobel Foundation was founded, designed to pay prizes to awarded laureates. His initial capital was the savings of Alfred Nobel, accumulated by him throughout his life.
The size of the Nobel Prize is quite high, for example, in 2010 it was about one and a half billion dollars. Prizes are awarded in the following areas: medicine and physiology, physics, chemistry and literature.
Additionally, the Peace Prize is awarded for active actions in establishing world peace. Our compatriots have been nominated more than once for the Nobel Prize, which is prestigious in all respects, and often become laureates.
Nobel Prize Winners in Physics
1958 - Igor Tamm, Ilya Frank and Pavel Cherenkov were the first to receive the Nobel Prize. The award was presented for collective research into the field of gamma radiation and its effects on various liquids.
During the experiments, a blue glow was discovered, later called the "Cherenkov effect". The discovery made it possible to use new techniques in measuring and detecting the velocities of nuclear, high-energy particles. This was a huge breakthrough for experimental nuclear physics.
In 1962 - Lev Landau. A legendary figure in the history of the development of physics. He conducted a lot of research in various fields of physics and mechanics. He made a huge contribution to the development of many branches of science.
He received his prize for the creation and detailed description of the theory of quantum fluid, as well as for experimental studies various condensed matter. The main experiments were carried out with liquid helium.
In 1964 - Alexander Prokhorov and Nikolai Basov. The award was received for joint developments in the field of radiophysics and quantum electronics. These studies made it possible to invent molecular generators - masers, as well as special amplifiers that concentrate radiation into one powerful beam.
1978 -, In 1978, using the example of helium, he discovered the phenomenon of superfluidity - the ability of a substance that is in the state of a quantum liquid and in temperature conditions close to absolute zero to penetrate without any friction through the smallest holes.
2000 - Zhores Alferov- awarded for the development of fundamentally new semiconductors that can withstand huge energy flows and are used in the creation of ultra-fast computers. In DVD drives, which are equipped with all modern computers, laser recording to disc uses just these technologies.
2003 - trio: Vitaly Ginzburg, American Anthony Leggett and Alexei Abrikosov- for a theory explaining two phenomena quantum physics– superfluidity and superconductivity of various materials.
IN modern science they are used to create superconductors used in ultra-precise diagnostic medical equipment, in scientific equipment involved in research related to particle acceleration and many other physical phenomena.
2010 - Andrey Game and Konstantin Novoselov(former citizens of Russia, now subjects of the Kingdom of Great Britain) received an award for the discovery of graphene and the study of its properties. It captures and transforms light into electrical energy 20 times more than all previously opened materials and increases the speed of the Internet connection.
Nobel Prize Winners in Chemistry
1956 - Nikolai Semenov author of many scientific achievements. However, his most famous work, for which he received this prestigious award, was the study of various chain reactions occurring at high temperatures. This discovery made it possible to gain control over all ongoing processes and to predict the final outcome of each process.
1977 - Ilya Prigozhy n (a native of Russia, lives in Belgium) received a prize for the theory of dispassive structures and for research on non-equilibrium thermodynamics, which made it possible to close many gaps between biological, chemical and social research fields.
Nobel laureates in medicine and physiology
1904 - Ivan Pavlov, the first Russian academician - physiologist who received the Nobel Prize. He was engaged in the study of the physiology of digestion and the nervous regulation of the processes occurring during this. Awarded by the Nobel Committee for the study of the main digestive glands and their functions.
It was he who divided all the reflexes of the digestive tract into conditional and unconditioned. Thanks to these data, a clearer understanding of the vital aspects of what is happening in the human body has been obtained.
1908 - Ilya Mechnikov- did a lot outstanding discoveries allowed to continue the development of experimental medicine and biology of the twentieth century. I. Mechnikov received the Nobel Prize jointly with the German biologist P. Ehrlich for developing the theory of immunity.
Research in this area and the creation of the theory took the academician 25 years. But it is thanks to these studies that the phenomena by which the human body becomes immune to many diseases have become clear.
Nobel Laureates in Economics
1975 - Leonid Kantorovich- the only Soviet economist and mathematician who deserved highest rating its economic activity. It was he who put mathematics at the service of production and thereby simplified the organization and planning of all production processes. Received an award for his great contribution to the theory of optimal allocation of resources.
Winners of the Nobel Prize in Literature
1933 - Ivan Bunin- received the title of laureate for two books: "The Life of Arseniev" and "The Gentleman from San Francisco." And, of course, for his contribution to the development of traditional Russian culture. The artistic talent of the author, artistry and truthfulness, made it possible to recreate a typically Russian multifaceted character in lyrical prose.
1958 - Boris Pasternak- many times claimed the role of the Nobel Prize winner, even before the release of his world-famous novel "Doctor Zhivago", which became the decisive argument in choosing the winner.
The prize was awarded with the wording: "for the greatest achievements in poetry and for maintaining the traditions of the great, mighty Russian novel."
However, Pasternak, being recognized in his homeland as an "anti-Soviet" element, being under heavy pressure from the Soviet authorities, was forced to refuse. The son of the great writer received the medal and diploma 30 years later.
1965 - Mikhail Sholokhov- unlike Pasternak and Solzhenitsyn, he was actively supported by the government of his native country, his stories describing the life and way of life of the settlers small homeland writer - the Don Cossacks, were repeatedly published in all popular publications.
M. Sholokhov's books were popular among Soviet readers. In addition to the "Cossack" theme, the author has repeatedly written about the great patriotic war whose echoes were still alive in the memory of everything Soviet people. However, he received recognition from foreign colleagues by writing the novel Quiet Don, which tells about the Don Cossacks in a difficult period of life, full of revolutions and wars. For this novel, he was awarded the Nobel Prize.
1970 - Alexander Solzhenitsyn, before the collapse of Soviet power was a banned author. He spent time in prison for criticizing the leadership of the USSR. His works were considered openly anti-Soviet and were not published on the territory of the USSR countries. Most famous works, such as "In the First Circle", "The Gulag Archipelago" and "The Cancer Ward", were published in the West and enjoyed very high popularity there.
For his contribution to the development of the traditions of Russian literature and the highly moral force of his works, Solzhenitsyn was awarded the Nobel Prize. However, he was not released for the presentation, forbidding him to leave the territory of the USSR. Representatives of the committee, who tried to present the award to the laureate at home, were also denied entry.
After 4 years, Solzhenitsyn was expelled from the country, and only then, with a great delay, was he able to be awarded a well-deserved award. Return to Russia, the writer was able after the collapse of Soviet power.
1987 - Joseph Brodsky, who was an outcast in the USSR and, under pressure from the authorities, deprived of citizenship, received the Nobel Prize, being a US citizen. With the wording: "for clarity of thought, for intense poetic and literary creativity." After receiving the award, the poet's works were no longer boycotted at home. For the first time, in the USSR, they were published in the popular publication Novy Mir.
Nobel Peace Prize Laureates
1975 - Andrey Sakharov Russian physicist, fighter for human rights. Being one of the founders of the first Soviet hydrogen bomb, actively fought for the signing of a moratorium on a test ban nuclear weapons provoking an arms race. In addition to his many other merits, Sakharov is the author of the draft constitution of the USSR.
Being the leader of the human rights movement defending human rights and freedoms, he was recognized as a dissident and was deprived of all awards and prizes previously awarded for his active work.
For the same activity he received the title of laureate in the Peace Prize category.
1990 - Mikhail Gorbachev - the first and only president of the USSR. During his activity, the following large-scale events were produced that affected the whole world:
- The so-called "Perestroika" is an attempt to reform the Soviet system, to introduce the leading signs of democracy into the USSR: freedom of speech and the press, publicity, the possibility of free democratic elections, reforming the socialist economy in the direction of a market economy model.
- End of the Cold War.
- Output Soviet troops from the territory of Afghanistan.
- Rejection of all communist ideologies and further persecution of all dissidents.
- The collapse of the USSR as a result of its transition to democracy.
For all these merits, Mikhail Gorbachev was awarded the Nobel Prize with the wording: “for the leading role in peace processes that make up an important part of the life of all international society". Today, the personality of Mikhail Gorbachev is perceived Russian society very ambiguous and his activities during the collapse of the USSR causes a lot of heated debate. Whereas in the West his authority was and continues to be undeniable. He received recognition as a Nobel Peace Prize winner precisely in Western society, but not in Russia.
American scientist received an award for his contribution to understanding aspects of economic behavior
Economist Richard Thaler
Moscow. October 9th. website - The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm named the winner of the Alfred Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics, which is often called the "Nobel Prize in Economics". The 49th Prize was awarded to the American economist Richard Thaler for research in the field of behavioral economics.
Richard Thaler, born in 1945, is Professor of Behavioral Science and Economics at the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago. Thaler is best known as one of the behavioral finance theorists who collaborated with Daniel Kahneman (l. Winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics 2002).
Thaler is the author of the so-called "nudge theory" ("controlled choice"). The scientist formulated the concept of "libertarian paternalism" - a strategy focused on pushing a person to the optimal choice dictated by reason, and not by feelings or momentary desires.
A press release from the committee notes that Thaler developed an acceptance analysis economic decisions based on psychologically based assumptions.
The scientist explored the consequences of limited rationality, social preferences and insufficient self-control. He came to the conclusion that individual decisions that can be predicted depend on these qualities. Man is not a machine and he tends to err - such a leitmotif can be traced in many works of the laureate.
Thaler is one of the founders of such a scientific direction as behavioral economics and behavioral finance. The scientist is the founder of the asset management company Fuller & Thaler Asset Management.
The announcement of the winner in the field of economics ends the "Nobel Week" -2017.
Unlike the Nobel Prizes in Physiology or Medicine, Chemistry, Physics and Literature, as well as the Peace Prize, the Prize in Economics was not established by Alfred Nobel himself, but by the Bank of Sweden in 1969.
In 2016, the winners of the award are Oliver Hart and Bengt Holmström with the wording "for their contribution to the theory of contracts". The theoretical works of the laureates are described in terms of economic theory how contracts between economic agents should be arranged.
In 2015, the Anglo-American economist Angus Deaton received the Nobel Prize in Economics "for his analysis of consumption, poverty and welfare." His research has contributed greatly to understanding how individual consumers make choices, which is important for shaping economic policies that promote prosperity and reduce poverty.
Nobel Laureates 2017
Earlier last week, the winners of other Nobel Prizes became known.
US scientists Geoffrey Hall, Michael Rozbash and Michael Young received the Nobel for their study of the molecular mechanisms that regulate the body's circadian rhythms. Reiner Weiss, Kip Thorne and Barry Barish received the award for their decisive contributions to the LIGO detector and for the observation of gravitational waves. Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank and Richard Henderson received an award in the field with the wording "for the development of cryoelectron microscopy high resolution to determine the structure of biomolecules in solution".
The Nobel Prize in 2017 was awarded to the Japanese-born British writer Kazuo Ishiguro, who "in novels of great emotional power, uncovered the abyss lurking beneath our illusory sense of connection with the world."
The 2017 Nobel Prize was awarded to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN).
Awards
The award ceremony will traditionally take place in Stockholm on December 10, on the day of the death of the founder of the Nobel Prizes, the Swedish entrepreneur and inventor Alfred Nobel (1833-1896). The Peace Prize, at the behest of Nobel, is awarded in Oslo, and all the others - in Stockholm.
Nobel Prize winners in 2017 will receive 9 million Swedish kronor (about $1.12 million). For the first time since 2001, the Nobel Foundation decided the size of prizes for laureates by 12.5%. Previously, the winners received 8 million Swedish kronor (about $931,000).
Over the past two weeks, the Nobel Committee has named scientists whose merits will be recognized. We tried to figure out who and for what received awards this year.
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Every year at the beginning of October, what is happening in the Swedish capital - Stockholm - is riveted Special attention. During this period, the winners of the most prestigious scientific award, the Nobel Prize, are determined here. Over the past two weeks, the Nobel Committee has named scientists whose merits will be recognized. We tried to figure out who and for what received awards this year.
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This year's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine went to Japanese scientist Yoshinori Ohsumi for his discovery of the mechanisms of autophagy. Autophagy is a process in the cell that allows you to get rid of unnecessary or non-functioning components. The term “autophagy” is translated from Greek as “eating oneself”. The concept itself originated back in the 60s, but Osumi's experiments, which he began in the 90s, were a breakthrough. In the Nobel Committee, they are called studies that turned the paradigm of perception upside down.
The scientist conducted his experiments on yeast cells, but proved that similar processes occur in the human body. As noted in the Nobel Committee, these experiments allowed us to take a fresh look at how recycling occurs at the cellular level. “These discoveries opened the way to understanding the fundamental importance of autophagy in many physiological processes, such as adaptation to hunger or response to infections,” the Nobel Committee website notes.
At the same time, scientists now know that a violation of autophagy is associated with serious diseases such as Parkinson's disease, diabetes or cancer. IN this moment medicines for various diseases are being actively developed, which will be built on knowledge of this process.
Osumi was born in 1945 in Tokyo. After several years in the US, he returned to Japan and founded a research group. Since 2009, he has been a professor at the Tokyo Institute of Technology.
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This year's Physics Prize was awarded to three American scientists. The award was shared by physicists David Thuless, Duncan Haldan and Michael Kosterlitz. In their research, scientists used a complex mathematical method– topology – to the study of rare aggregate states of matter, such as superconductivity, superfluidity, etc. “This year’s laureates opened the doors to unknown worlds where matter can acquire atypical states,” the award’s website says.
Scientists hope that these studies will open up new possibilities in materials science and electronics, for example, in the creation of new types of electrical engineering or superconductors, as well as in future quantum computers.
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The Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to the Frenchman Jean-Pierre Savage, the American Fraser Stoddart and the Dutchman Bernard Feringa for creating "the world's smallest machines". At what not just small, but really miniature. Their invention is molecular machines. “A miniature elevator, artificial muscles, a minimotor. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded to Jean-Pierre Savage, Ser Fraser Stoddart and Bernard Fehringe for the design and manufacture of molecular machines.
The essence of the discovery of these scientists is to create molecules that can move in a controlled manner and perform certain tasks when they receive energy. The first step in this process was taken by Savage, connecting two ring-shaped molecules into a network, called catenanes, linked by a mechanical bond. “To be able to complete a task, a machine must be made up of parts that can move relative to each other. Two interlocking rings fulfilled exactly this requirement,” the Nobel Prize website notes.
The second step was carried out by Stoddart, and the third step was taken by Feringa, creating the first molecular motor. " Molecular machines, most likely, will be used in the creation of new materials, sensors and energy storage systems, ”the award website notes.
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This year there were 376 nominees for the Nobel Peace Prize. As a result, the committee decided to honor Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos. "The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize to Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos for his determined efforts to complete more than 50 years of civil war which cost the lives of at least 220,000 Colombians and forced about six million people to leave their homes,” the committee noted.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee believes that although the peace agreement with the FARC group, which emerged as a result of negotiations initiated by Santos, was rejected by the majority of Colombians in a referendum, the Colombian leader's attempts "bring closer the possibility of a peaceful end to the bloody conflict" and meet the spirit and will of Alfred Nobel.
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Swedish Bank Award for economic sciences In memory of Alfred Nobel, the so-called Nobel Prize in Economics, which was introduced in 1969, was awarded to two American scientists - Oliver Hart and Bengt Holmström for developing the theory of contracts. Contracts play an extremely important role in economic relations and are its link, the committee noted. The work of Hart and Holmström provided an essential foundation for analyzing the contracting process in order to make it as efficient as possible.
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The award of the Nobel Prize in Literature was perhaps one of the biggest surprises of this year's award, surprising both the public and bookmakers. The winner of the award this year was the American singer, legend of rock music - Bob Dylan. The Nobel Committee recognized Dylan's poetic merits by awarding him a prize for "creating new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition."
Dylan, born in 1941 in New York, became famous in the 60s for his "protest" creativity and participation in the civil rights movement. The singer's discography includes more than 35 studio albums, including such well-known ones as The Times They Are a-Changin', The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan.
