Unusual stories from the Nobel Prize & more | #227
+ the ladybird of India ➡️➡️
Hello friends
Every year, a group of really clever people gather in Stockholm to dish out the world’s fanciest participation trophies—the Nobel Prizes. These awards honor the most brilliant minds making the rest of us plebs feel like we’re barely qualified to operate a calculator. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to win one, the answer is either discovering something you didn’t even know needed discovering - or bring peace to the world - Yes We Can
This week we take a look at the Oscars of the academic world, specifically some unusual stories from Nobel winners.
Things we learnt this week 🤓
Nobel Prize wins do not happen overnight. They are a result of years of research, peer reviews, throwing old results out and starting afresh. So it is imperative to have a partner who can support you through all that. University of Chicago professor Robert E. Lucas won the Nobel prize for economics in 1995 and had to split his winnings with his estranged wife. 7 years prior, in the divorce settlements she added a clause - "Wife shall receive 50 percent of any Nobel Prize. . . ." If the Nobel prize had been announced a few days later, she would not have been eligible as the contract was valid till October 31, 1995. If the prize comes today, it’s too early… If the prize comes tomorrow, it’s too late..
Robert Lucas worrying that he has to give away 50% of his Nobel Prize
The Ig Nobel prizes started in 1991 with the aim to honor genuine scientific research that aims to make people laugh and then make them think - Andre Geim, who won the Nobel Prize in Physics is also a Ig Nobel prize winner. He won the Ig Nobel for magnetic levitation of a live frog. One of the key events in the ceremony is the throwing of paper planes which is then swept off by Roy J Glauber who has the title of “Keeper of the Broom”. Interestingly, he couldn’t perform this role in 2005 as he had to collect his own Nobel Prize award in Physics!
Only Fans allowed in the Ig Nobel ceremony
CV Raman published his work on the “Molecular Diffraction of Light” in 1922. Then through a series of publications, we eventually reached the Raman Effect in 1928. Raman Effect is responsible for the Yo Yo Honey Singh song “Aaj Blue Hai Pani Pani”. CV Raman expected the Nobel after the discovery in 1928 but was disappointed not to have received it. After not receiving it in 1929 as well, he was very sure there were no other candidates left and he would receive it in 1930. So confident was he - that he decided not to trust tatkal booking on irctc, but instead booked himself two steamer tickets in advance to Europe for himself and his wife in July itself, even though the announcement for the award was to be in November! Raman’s point was that it would be too late to get reservations when the awards were to be announced and he would miss the award function which normally takes place in December. Confidence does have its effect on awards I suppose.
The effect Raman had on the Nobel!
From IWTK, with love 💌
Did you know ulaganayagan Kamal Hassan has acted in a Bengali film? And he acted in the Tamil original along with 3 other remakes?
Identify the ladybird of India.
Only In India 🇮🇳
You gutkha be kiddin me
💜 IWTK