Tuesday, October 05, 2010

Graphene Takes Center Stage at 2010 Nobel Prize

The Nobel Prize for 2010 goes to two Russian-born physicists who did groundbreaking work with graphene.

Russian-born scientists Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov shared the Nobel Prize in physics Tuesday for "groundbreaking experiments" with a new material expected to play a large role in electronics.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences cited Geim and Novoselov, who are both linked to universities in Britain, for experiments with graphene, a flake of carbon that is only one atom thick.

This is not surprising at all. Graphene has taken condensed matter by storm, and promises to be the darling material for future electronics, besides having a boatload of new physics. So this year's prize is certainly deserving. It also makes me think that in a few years, those who were the first to be involved in topological insulators might also be up there for such a consideration.

It has been a while since the Physics Nobel prize goes to less than 3 people, hasn't it? For the past many years, it has got to the maximum compliment of 3 people.

Zz.

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