2016 Nobel Prize Winners Cream of the Scientific Crop

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering what happened to that quiet guy from high school who was always carrying around a scientific notebook, you may want to check out the latest Nobel Prize Winners. While these geniuses may not have been in your social crowd in school, their deep thoughts and future plans might have been the reason. These bright individuals could be well on their way to becoming a Nobel Prize holder. These are the cream of the scientific crop who have been recognized in 2016 by being awarded a Nobel Prize. Physics The 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to David J. Thouless, F. Duncan M. Haldane, and J. Michael Kosterlitz for “theoretical discoveries of topological phase transitions and topological phases of matter.” While lay people may not understand what that means, it is a significant advancement in the area of physics. Chemistry For the design and synthesis of molecular machines, the Nobel Prize committee has recognized Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Sir J. Fraser Stroddart, and Bernard L. Feringa in 2016. Molecular studies are something that is ongoing and which will affect many different areas of chemistry, medicine, and health studies for the future. Physiology Yoshinori Ohsumi has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of mechanisms for autophagy. Peace The official Nobel Peace Prize for 2016 has been awarded to Juan Manuel Santos for his efforts to bring his country’s more than 50 year long civil war to an end.  The Nobel Peace Prize is the most well-known of the Nobel Prizes awarded each year, and is always given to someone who has made significant strides in achieving or working toward peace. Literature Many people aren’t aware that there is a Nobel Prize for Literature. Those of us who keep tabs on the people who have reached us over the years were thrilled to find out that Bob Dylan has been awarded this prestigious recognition in 2016. Mr. Dylan was recognized “for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.” Folk music fans from the 60s are very familiar with Bob Dylan, and it seems that his musical contributions through the years are recognized in today’s multicultural and diverse world as well. The Nobel Prize committee is made up of a group of people who are able to see and recognize the value of the discoveries and ideas of the people in the scientific community and throughout the world in positions of influence. The decision to honor someone with one of these awards is not taken lightly. The person must have truly done something or discovered something that benefits humankind. The categories for Nobel Prizes cover nearly all aspects of science, humanity, and world matters. When you look around at your coworkers and contemporaries, do you ever take notice of those who seem to be completely immersed in bound notebooks or studying obscure topics? Those are the people who often find themselves being considered for Nobel Prizes. The people who develop new ideas, discover amazing facts and reactions, and create a better world for the rest of us.