Physics Nobel Prize 2002

[kheegster]

http://www.nobel.se/physics/laureates/2002/

This year it looks like in the absence of worthy contemporary research, they've had to give away the Nobel Physics prize to decades-old research. It does strike me as if they want to give the prizes to these fellas before they kick the bucket. This stuff is so old that I've sort of taken for granted the existence of neutrinos and cosmic x-rays. Oh well, Einstein did have to wait 15 years for his Nobel as well.

KG
ps any other physicists around here?

[Durandal]

I'm studying to be one.

[Lord Edam]

http://www.nobel.se/physics/laureates/2002/

This year it looks like in the absence of worthy contemporary research, they've had to give away the Nobel Physics prize to decades-old research.

nobel prizes are often given for "decades old research" rather than recent stuff, because very often the importance of the original work is only realised after recent advancements.

It took 20 years for Lev Landau to be recognised for his work on quantum fluids
Most of the work that won Chandreskhar the prize in 83 was from the 20's/30's, and it was only due to advances by other (now probably more famous) physicists in the late 70s that people realised his work was truly deserving of recognition (one of the few physicists awarded the prize postumhously IIRC)

It doesn't matter how old the research is - if it's important why not recognise it as such? This year's nobel laureates did work that has been key in several major physics advancements in recent years. They just did it a few years before people were capable of realising what it meant.

[Captain Hornblower]

I am a physicist working as an overpaid engineer, does that count?

[kheegster]

I'm only a first year physics undergrad myself...I meant physicist in the more general meaning.

I wasn't really criticising the late awardance of the Nobel Prizes, just more concerned that such delays might mean some discoveries might go unrewarded because their discoverers have passed away. Then they would not be around to enjoy the recognition.

I wonder when Stephen Hawking will get his Nobel...I'm not sure he has that many years left. Most of the scientific community is in agreement that most of his work is valid, although not verifiable by experiment. Probably the committee is too nervous about awarding a prize that might later be debunked.

KG

[Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi]

I want to have a physics degree, but I'm not in college yet. I also want to study quantum mechanics, and perhaps chemistry. I never said I would get them, however.