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This sounds mind-blowing and if it is transformative as you state, then why did it take so long to award it the prize, have all the most recent previous winners

by ak_111 4y ago

This sounds mind-blowing and if it is transformative as you state, then why did it take so long to award it the prize, have all the most recent previous winners been more worthy?

wholinator2 4y ago
It can sometimes take a long time to get a prize awarded. Like I believe Einstein didn't get his prize for years and years after he discovered Relativity and even when they awarded it to him it was only for the photo electric effect, which while important, wasn't perceived as his largest contribution
- btilly 4y ago
  He didn't get it for relativity in part because of a well-known philosopher. See https://nautil.us/this-philosopher-helped-ensure-there-was-no-nobel-for-relativity-235898/ https://nautil.us/this-philosopher-helped-ensure-there-was-n... for the story.
- dekhn 4y ago
  "only" for the photoelectric effect? That was one of the most fundamental scientific discoveries (well, explanation for an unexpected failure of theory to predict experiment) of all time. In particular, the idea of wave packets replacing particle and wave representations was quite helpful.
ceejayoz 4y ago
That's entirely normal. https://www.nature.com/articles/508186a https://www.nature.com/articles/508186a > Before 1940, Nobels were awarded more than 20 years after the original discovery for only about 11% of physics, 15% of chemistry and 24% of physiology or medicine prizes, respectively. Since 1985, however, such lengthy delays have featured in 60%, 52% and 45% of these awards, respectively.
throwawaymaths 4y ago
It's very cool but not that transformative. I don't know of any major biological discovery that depended on it. Honestly imo the coolest click chemistry application was as a two-component bonding glue for copper pieces
- ak_111 4y ago
  Yeah I think the concept is very cool and probably has lots of potential, but the fact that not even most scientists I know have heard of it implies that is yet a niche area that hasn't yet had a major impact in applications.

by ak_111 4y ago

This sounds mind-blowing and if it is transformative as you state, then why did it take so long to award it the prize, have all the most recent previous winners been more worthy?

wholinator2 4y ago

It can sometimes take a long time to get a prize awarded. Like I believe Einstein didn't get his prize for years and years after he discovered Relativity and even when they awarded it to him it was only for the photo electric effect, which while important, wasn't perceived as his largest contribution

btilly 4y ago
He didn't get it for relativity in part because of a well-known philosopher. See https://nautil.us/this-philosopher-helped-ensure-there-was-no-nobel-for-relativity-235898/ https://nautil.us/this-philosopher-helped-ensure-there-was-n... for the story.
dekhn 4y ago
"only" for the photoelectric effect? That was one of the most fundamental scientific discoveries (well, explanation for an unexpected failure of theory to predict experiment) of all time. In particular, the idea of wave packets replacing particle and wave representations was quite helpful.

ceejayoz 4y ago

That's entirely normal. https://www.nature.com/articles/508186a https://www.nature.com/articles/508186a > Before 1940, Nobels were awarded more than 20 years after the original discovery for only about 11% of physics, 15% of chemistry and 24% of physiology or medicine prizes, respectively. Since 1985, however, such lengthy delays have featured in 60%, 52% and 45% of these awards, respectively.

throwawaymaths 4y ago

It's very cool but not that transformative. I don't know of any major biological discovery that depended on it. Honestly imo the coolest click chemistry application was as a two-component bonding glue for copper pieces

ak_111 4y ago
Yeah I think the concept is very cool and probably has lots of potential, but the fact that not even most scientists I know have heard of it implies that is yet a niche area that hasn't yet had a major impact in applications.