19 ms·

Jokes aside, why is it so important that they reach him at 2:15 AM and can't wait until the next morning?

mikeyouse 6y ago
It’s not really “important” in any sense except everyone is extremely excited to share the news and his friends and family want to celebrate the ultimate capstone to his career as soon as possible.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
timr 6y ago
Because they have to make the announcement, and as soon as they do, the press start hounding the recipient.
- chrisseaton 6y ago
  > they have to make the announcement But why? Why not wait? And what if they were planning to refuse it?
dekhn 6y ago
Basically, the announcement is a secret until it happens. It happens at a specific time, in Sweden, and they attempt to contact the winners at that time with a personal call (https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/themes/the-nobel-call/ https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/themes/the-nobel-call/). My cynical side suggests it's done mostly to generate PR. See also: https://worldneurologyonline.com/article/receiving-the-call-from-the-nobel-committee/ https://worldneurologyonline.com/article/receiving-the-call-... https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/10/04/science/where-where-you-nobel-prize-call-stories.html https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/10/04/science/where... Most scientists joke they wouldn't mind receiving a 2:30AM call informing them they won the prize because then at least they could go to work in the morning, have some champagne and relax because getting grants was going to get a lot easier...
- dheera 6y ago
  I put my phone in airplane mode at night. Don't a lot of people do that? What are they thinking?
  - arcticbull 6y ago
    They're thinking its a pretty cool phone call to get haha.
  - toomuchtodo 6y ago
    Don’t iPhones put themselves into do not disturb mode at night? I hope the Nobel folks call twice in 3 minutes!
    - irrational 6y ago
      I think that only works for Favorites. Do you have the Nobel committee in your favorites? ;-)
      - dylan604 6y ago
        you say this as if you don't
      - Jtsummers 6y ago
        You can have favorites go through on the first call, and repeat calls go through on the second call.
    - hanche 6y ago
      Those are optional settings.
  - jopsen 6y ago
    I'm sure people like Sheldon Cooper has a calendar event and stays awake by phone when the awards are announced, hehe :)
  - dekhn 6y ago
BurningFrog 6y ago
I think they want to announce it to the press in Stockholm with as little risk of leaks as possible. If you're a potential winner, you know to be reachable that night :)
TuringNYC 6y ago
If I wont the prize, I'd want to be awoken at 2:15am. Heck, they could drop a bucket of ice water on me and wake me up to tell me the good news.
lazyant 6y ago
My guess is to get ahead and be prepared before the onslaught of reporters calling.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
jayd16 6y ago
Seemed to me the neighbor was far too excited to not wake him up, haha.
colmmacc 6y ago
Here's Doris Lessing being told she won the Nobel Prize for Literature: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuBODHFBZ8k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuBODHFBZ8k The committee hadn't managed to contact her. I can't be sure, but I'd bet she would have preferred the call.
kjs3 6y ago
It's the Nobel Prize. If I'd won the Nobel Prize with my buddy, I'd be right pissed if he waited till breakfast to celebrate. I'd be slightly bitter he came over at 2:15am without a bottle of bubbly. Are you really that dead inside?
tuananh 6y ago
if i won it (like never), i want them to ring me at any time :))
ponker 6y ago
Most people want to know right away if they won the Nobel Prize. Besides Doris Lessing I can’t imagine any of them being too put out by the phone call.

It’s not really “important” in any sense except everyone is extremely excited to share the news and his friends and family want to celebrate the ultimate capstone to his career as soon as possible.

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]

timr 6y ago

Because they have to make the announcement, and as soon as they do, the press start hounding the recipient.

chrisseaton 6y ago
> they have to make the announcement But why? Why not wait? And what if they were planning to refuse it?

dekhn 6y ago

Basically, the announcement is a secret until it happens. It happens at a specific time, in Sweden, and they attempt to contact the winners at that time with a personal call (https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/themes/the-nobel-call/ https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/themes/the-nobel-call/). My cynical side suggests it's done mostly to generate PR. See also: https://worldneurologyonline.com/article/receiving-the-call-from-the-nobel-committee/ https://worldneurologyonline.com/article/receiving-the-call-... https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/10/04/science/where-where-you-nobel-prize-call-stories.html https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/10/04/science/where... Most scientists joke they wouldn't mind receiving a 2:30AM call informing them they won the prize because then at least they could go to work in the morning, have some champagne and relax because getting grants was going to get a lot easier...

dheera 6y ago
I put my phone in airplane mode at night. Don't a lot of people do that? What are they thinking?
- arcticbull 6y ago
  They're thinking its a pretty cool phone call to get haha.
- toomuchtodo 6y ago
  Don’t iPhones put themselves into do not disturb mode at night? I hope the Nobel folks call twice in 3 minutes!
  - irrational 6y ago
    I think that only works for Favorites. Do you have the Nobel committee in your favorites? ;-)
    - dylan604 6y ago
      you say this as if you don't
    - Jtsummers 6y ago
      You can have favorites go through on the first call, and repeat calls go through on the second call.
  - hanche 6y ago
    Those are optional settings.
- jopsen 6y ago
  I'm sure people like Sheldon Cooper has a calendar event and stays awake by phone when the awards are announced, hehe :)
- dekhn 6y ago

BurningFrog 6y ago

I think they want to announce it to the press in Stockholm with as little risk of leaks as possible. If you're a potential winner, you know to be reachable that night :)

TuringNYC 6y ago

If I wont the prize, I'd want to be awoken at 2:15am. Heck, they could drop a bucket of ice water on me and wake me up to tell me the good news.

lazyant 6y ago

My guess is to get ahead and be prepared before the onslaught of reporters calling.

deleted 6y ago
[deleted]

jayd16 6y ago

Seemed to me the neighbor was far too excited to not wake him up, haha.

colmmacc 6y ago

Here's Doris Lessing being told she won the Nobel Prize for Literature: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuBODHFBZ8k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuBODHFBZ8k The committee hadn't managed to contact her. I can't be sure, but I'd bet she would have preferred the call.

kjs3 6y ago

It's the Nobel Prize. If I'd won the Nobel Prize with my buddy, I'd be right pissed if he waited till breakfast to celebrate. I'd be slightly bitter he came over at 2:15am without a bottle of bubbly. Are you really that dead inside?

tuananh 6y ago

if i won it (like never), i want them to ring me at any time :))

ponker 6y ago

Most people want to know right away if they won the Nobel Prize. Besides Doris Lessing I can’t imagine any of them being too put out by the phone call.