The Absurdity of Nobel Prizes in Science
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The Absurdity of Nobel Prizes in Science
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Re: The Absurdity of Nobel Prizes in Science
#2Why not start a website where scientific discoveries can be linked to their uses on the one side, and on the other side to their contributors and former discoveries it is based on? Could be a wiki.
Re: The Absurdity of Nobel Prizes in Science
#3Why not start a website where scientific discoveries can be linked to their uses on the one side, and on the other side to their contributors and former discoveries it is based on? Could be a wiki.
> uses
I am not sure if the discovery of gravitation waves can be of any use to us (other than perhaps stimulate funding for further astrophysics research, that is).
Re: The Absurdity of Nobel Prizes in Science
#4Why not start a website where scientific discoveries can be linked to their uses on the one side, and on the other side to their contributors and former discoveries it is based on? Could be a wiki.
> uses I am not sure if the discovery of gravitation waves can be of any use to us (other than perhaps stimulate funding for further astrophysics research, that is).
Not yet, maybe. But eventually, I'm sure they'll be used directly in some other scientific discovery.
Re: The Absurdity of Nobel Prizes in Science
#5This is a fabulous article. Touches on everything from large groups of people, obviously missing attributions due to death, and even the sexist outcomes.
Re: The Absurdity of Nobel Prizes in Science
#6I think the prizes are important as a means of drawing the attention of the general public to certain important discoveries. I do think they should do more to recognize more contributors to various discoveries, even if they have to limit the number of people who receive the monetary award.
Re: The Absurdity of Nobel Prizes in Science
#7Why not start a website where scientific discoveries can be linked to their uses on the one side, and on the other side to their contributors and former discoveries it is based on? Could be a wiki.
> uses I am not sure if the discovery of gravitation waves can be of any use to us (other than perhaps stimulate funding for further astrophysics research, that is).
It seems early to conclude that. No one had a use for X-rays until over a century after people started messing around with them.
Re: The Absurdity of Nobel Prizes in Science
#8Why not start a website where scientific discoveries can be linked to their uses on the one side, and on the other side to their contributors and former discoveries it is based on? Could be a wiki.
> uses I am not sure if the discovery of gravitation waves can be of any use to us (other than perhaps stimulate funding for further astrophysics research, that is).
As I understand it there are four fundamental forces in physics: strong and weak nuclear forces, the electromagnetic force, and gravitational force.
This discovery of gravitational waves is similar to the discovery of electromagnetic waves that has touched almost every aspect of our lives.
I'm sure there will be ways to use this information. Maybe not now, but it certainly might help when humanity eventually looks to permanently slip the surly bonds of earth.
Re: The Absurdity of Nobel Prizes in Science
#9Personally I find peace prizes abominable:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nobel_Peace_Prize_laur...
They just got way too political.
Re: The Absurdity of Nobel Prizes in Science
#10Why not start a website where scientific discoveries can be linked to their uses on the one side, and on the other side to their contributors and former discoveries it is based on? Could be a wiki.
> uses I am not sure if the discovery of gravitation waves can be of any use to us (other than perhaps stimulate funding for further astrophysics research, that is).
That's a rather narrow view.
Can you imagine what went into building the gravitational wave observatories? Don't you think that's advanced the state of the art with respect to the different kinds of technology, manufacturing, and construction techniques involved?
I support biomedical research. We're adopting scientific collaboration tools developed by the high energy physics community and specifically LIGO. These tools make it possible for large-scale, multi-institution, transnational collaborations to readily and securely share data worldwide. I'm really excited about what has become possible.
Admittedly, that has nothing to do with the detection of gravitational waves themselves. Still, these projects (and others) have improved the state of the art, and while it might not lead to something you can buy at Walmart any time soon, it might make a malaria cure happen sooner, or improve the quality of care for tuberculosis patients, or reduce the rate of breast cancer---little stuff that over time adds up to hundreds of thousands of people alive and well who, without all those little things adding up, wouldn't be alive today.