The Nobel Prize committee has been the long standing voice on determining the most successful pioneers of our day. Ranging from literature to physics, the Nobel Prizes recognize the most significant discoveries, artwork and humanitarian efforts each year. The first Nobel prizes were handed out in 1901 after Alfred Nobel, a rich inventor and entrepreneur, left his enormous will to award great scientist who had worked to benefit mankind. Here’s all the things you needed to do this year (and probably for like 10 years before hand) in order to have won a Nobel Prize:
Discover that the world has been wobbling because of black holes without anybody noticing.
This year’s Nobel Prize for Physics was awarded to Drs. Weiss, Barish and Thorne for their work on gravitational waves, or ripples in time and space. Basically when two black holes collide, the entire world jiggles like Jello. This is a pretty monumental discovery because it confirms a lot of the trickier aspects of Einstein’s Theory of Relativity that have gone unproved for a long time.
Develop a technique for visualizing the tiniest bio structures and solve major health crises
Molecular and cellular biology can be really frustrating because scientists know that certain proteins and molecules have functions in the body but just can’t see what they look like. Dr. Dubochet, Frank and Henderson, have made it possible to see some of the smallest molecules in the body by literally freezing them in place. Their technique that won them the prize utilizes established knowledge about electron microscopy combined with some powerful freezing methods. The results are already helping to solve major health issues such as the Zika virus.
Learn about what makes humans tick
Ever wonder why you wake up at the same time every day? Or why 2pm is just the perfect time for a nap? The scientists who won this year’s award isolated the gene that controls the rise and fall of chemicals in your body that determine when you sleep and when you wake. Get this: they named the gene timeless.
Put human topics of mortality and memory into words that inspire.
This year’s winning author, Kazuo Ishiguro, has been a fan favorite since his first book in 1982. The Japanese author has been hailed as a mix between Jane Austen, Franz Kafka and Proust: an interesting combo for sure. His work is adored by the masses and uncovers greater truth about human existence. What more could you want?
Bring attention to an issue that could cause mass destruction and suffering
There’s been a lot of talk in the news these days regarding nuclear weapons and their potential for international harm, making this year’s Nobel Peace Prize both fitting and practical. The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (iCAN) has been working for years to raise awareness for potential issues as well as the development of peace treaties between countries on the topic.
Understand how and why we spend our paychecks on crazy things.
Would you have thought that someone would have received a Nobel Prize for something irrational? Well, that’s exactly what Richard Thaler did in his work on behavioral economics, writing against the idea of a “rational economic man”. Instead, Thaler goes against traditional economic ideas instead saying that the consumer often ends up acting irrationally when it’s time to spend their paycheck.
All these people have been recognized for their incredible work and progress. Now, if only there was a Nobel Prize for making it through midterms week!