Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Joseph Fox on Richard Heck's Nobel Prize

Heck's seminal studies were conducted in the late 1960's, but he did not receive a major award for his work until 2004. Yet, his day has come, and to see Heck recognized on this grandest of stages is absolutely remarkable. Something is right in the world when the Nobel prize goes to such a modest individual, based so purely on merit. It reminds me of why I went into science in the first place.


That is from Joseph Fox's article on the Nobel Prize to Richard Heck.

Monday, October 04, 2010

Robert Edwards -- Nobel Laureate

Great to read about this year's Nobel Prize in physiology, for the in-vitro pioneer Robert Edwards. I really like it when these prizes have gone to those who have made life better for many. Someday I hope that the pioneer of the Jaipur foot will also get a Nobel prize. If not for physiology, for peace!

Sunday, October 03, 2010

What shall we blog about?

The main trouble with a blog like this that has no specific agenda is that there is so much to blog about, which is why one ends up blogging so little. I received a message from Rahul Basu, the proud owner of As I Please that my blog seems to have nothing to say after the Dirac medal, when there is so much going on. (In this context, we note the sad passing of Nicola Cabibbo soon after the announcement of the Dirac medal.) Indeed, I would have like to blog about the Ayodhya decision, but what I wanted to say has been said so much better by a long list of signatories including Romila Thapar, Panikkar and so many others so much more scholarly than myself. What I found striking in another article by Thapar is "We cannot change the past"! While this is a truism, so much of politics and hell and brimstone in the media is generated around this. I was shocked to hear some say on TV that the work is not yet done, as the liberation of Krishnajanmabhoomi and Shankarjanmabhoomi (the Gyanvapi Mosque in Kashi!) [if I have got my `facts' right] is yet to be done. Closer home, i.e., in the scientific world there has been the earthquake about the the Bt Brinjal fiasco and the joint report of the academies. But this has been commented on by other so much more eminent commentators such as Rahul, and Nanopolitan. That is the problem: there is so much to blog about...