Nobel Prizes

[Adam Smith]

So the physics prize is for building more precise lasers, while the chemistry prize is for a more environmentally friendly way to make plastics? I presume that is what the vinyl refers to. What's an olefin? And what's an AMOI person, Jon?

[Pekka]

ok the peace nobel won't go to Martti Ahtisaari, even when he had the favourite odds, simply because he's not in it this year to begin with . He should be in it 2006..

[Jon Miller]

I meant AMO

Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics

getting really big resently (which probably means that all the great discoveries have already been made)

iwe are actually forming a huge group here at Maryland, it is already about top10 in the country (13th a year or so ago) and it only was formed 3 years or so ago (a Nobel Prize winner is leading the gropu)

Jon Miller

[Az]

So the physics prize is for building more precise lasers, while the chemistry prize is for a more environmentally friendly way to make plastics? I presume that is what the vinyl refers to. What's an olefin? And what's an AMOI person, John?

Actually, Organometallic reagents and catalysts such as the Grubbs' and Shrock one do increase yields and give rise to far less side products, making processes more efficient and enviromentally friends, but this has little to do with vinyl - vinyl it's just the name of the position on the carbon that participates in the double bond ( unlike allyl, which is the position on the carbon next to the double-bond carbon) Olefins are a family of chemical compounds that have Carbon-Carbon double bonds in them, just like alkenes ( different name for the same thing )

[Az]

Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics

ugh, spectoscopy, right? :bleh:

[Jon Miller]

some spectroscopy (actually, one or two prizes were for that)

but also things like bose-einstien consdensates and quantum computing/measurement on optical lattices, and a lot of other really cool stuff

JM

[Adam Smith]

What's that?

[Timexwatch]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui


Good choice

Shouldn't we wait and see if Iran, North Korea, et al. actually give up weapons/adhere to international treaties before we give the guy a cookie for all his work?

[Pekka]

Timexwatch is right. As far as I'm concerned, NK ain't giving up it's position and neither is Iran. They both risked so much, especially NK, mouthing off, playing the big guy and shoving it up our faces, and now they just give them up? I don't think so.. Basically I don't feel we can intimidate NK enough to make them forget about it, they'll get it, or have it, period.

Iran.. I don't know. Maybe it could be worked out, but I don't think intimidation will work with them either. It's not like they wouldn't anticipate it to begin with?! So I think they are very much prepared for any kind of verbal battle and not basically giving up..

So no I don't trust that they actually want to get rid off the nuke thing. IMO they are just buying more time to get all the ducks in a row.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Timexwatch
Shouldn't we wait and see if Iran, North Korea, et al. actually give up weapons/adhere to international treaties before we give the guy a cookie for all his work?

The point of the matter is that they are trying their best to prevent proliferation, with little help from anyone else. It is not their job to take away nukes from North Korea. That's the Security Council's job, especially since North Korea is not part of the IAEA anymore (it left in 1994) As for Iran, when they get nuclear weapons let me know. Besides, the IAEA has already critcized Iran for not letting inspectors in and beyond that what do you propose they do? Bring in troops?

[alva]

Isn't that guy just doing his job, I mean his does get paid to do what is that he is doing. Why award him with a Nobel for it???

[Urban Ranger]

Seeing that the UN and Annan also got the Peace Prize a few years back, I reckon there's a political messages somewhere in there.

Maybe it is "international cooperation is good, going it alone is bad."

[Eli]

W00t.

Economics:
"for having enhanced our understanding of conflict and cooperation through game-theory analysis"
Robert J. Aumann - Center for Rationality, Hebrew University of Jerusalem , Israel and USA
Thomas C. Schelling - Department of Economics and School of Public Policy, University of Maryland, USA

[Az]

:beer: :beer: :beer: :Beer:

Good Job, HUJI

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Originally posted by Wezil


Give it to Arafat again.

Considering he did more by dying to aid the peace process than Baradei its not a bad suggestion.