The 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics: strange math, pretzels, and superfluids

Nerd Christmas continued with the announcement of the Nobel Prize for Physics on October 4^th, 2016. This year’s winners are Drs. David Thouless, F. Duncan Haldane, and J. Michael Kosterlitz. They won by using an esoteric branch of theoretical math, called topology, to explain the physical behaviors of very thin, very cold sheets of atoms. Their discoveries, which began in the 1970’s, are remarkable because they explain previously inexplicable behaviors of matter at extremely cold temperatures. They are further remarkable because at the time, these discoveries were completely theoretical, and have since been backed up by experimental proof.

Topology is not everyday math.

The Nobel for Medicine is eaten up by autophagy

The Nobel Prizes are back! This week, which is Christmas for scientists (though, it must be said, only some of us), will see the awards for Physiology or Medicine, Physics, and Chemistry bestowed on some of the top scientists in the world. Given the significance of the awards and the tremendous amounts of work and insight they represent, I’d like to explain the basics of the science behind each award, starting with the prize for Physiology or Medicine.

 

The Swedish Academy announced Dr. Yoshinori Ohsumi as the winner of the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine on October 3rd.