Nobel Tradition a H I S T O R Y O F U C B E R K E L E Y ’ S L a U R Eat E S
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RENETA E M I T OF COURTESY MAGE I NObel TRadiTiON A H I S T O R Y O F U C B E RK E L E Y ’ S Lau R eaT E S HAT DO PLUTONIUM, the Calvin ent, cosmologist George Smoot, who says that nitroglycerine-related death of his brother and W Cycle, game theory, laser beams, and the title2 of Nobel laureate is “kind of like Miss the explosion of one of his factories, he sought the Big Bang have in common? They were all America, but it doesn’t go away at the end of to create a more stable explosive. Combining Ninvented, discovered, or confirmed by UC the year.” With the academic prestige (and two dangerously volatile nitroglycerine with dia- Berkeley faculty who were awarded the Nobel gigabytes of congratulatory email) comes a tomaceous earth, he created dynamite, and its Prize. UC Berkeley has an impressive history of sense of social responsibility. popularity in military munitions made him Nobel laureates: Since the prize originated in wealthy. 1901, 20 UC Berkeley faculty and 24 alumni AN EXPLOSIVE BEGINNING Nobel’s obituary was accidentally published have been awarded the Nobel Prize. Here is the The Nobel Prize is named for Alfred Nobel, eight years before his death. “The Merchant of story of Berkeley’s Nobel tradition, from the a Swedish scientist, inventor, and man of Death is Dead,” proclaimed one headline. Loath Prize’s surprising origin (it owes its existence industry who conducted research on the ex- to leave behind the legacy of destruction that to dynamite), to Berkeley’s most recent recipi- plosive properties of nitroglycerine. After the this obituary described, he stipulated in his 1939 1946 1949 1951 1959 1960 1961 1964 WILLIAM GIAUQUE, CHEMIstRY (1949) Invented a magnetic refrigeration system, with DOnaLD GLaseR, which he was able to PHYSICS (1960) ERnest O. LAWRenCE, decrease the temperature Invented the bubble nearly to absolute zero PHYSICS (1939) chamber, which allows (-237.15ºC). Invented the cyclotron, which uses scientists to study the magnetic fields to accelerate charged movement of atomic particles, inciting nuclear reactions. CHARLes TOWnes, 93 94 particles. PHYSICS (1964) Np Pu Invented the maser, which amplifies waves into an EDWIN MCMILLan & GLenn intense beam and was a SeabORG, CHEMIstRY (1951) precursor to the laser. McMillan discovered neptunium MeLVIN CaLVIN, and Seaborg discovered plutonium. CHEMIstRY (1961) Explained how plants use JOHN NORTHROP & WendeLL StanLEY, OWen CHAMbeRLAIN carbon in photosynthesis; hence, the Calvin Cycle. CHEMIstRY (1946) & EMILIO SegRÈ, Northrop was the first person to isolate CHEMIstRY (1959) a pure enzyme and Stanley was the first Discovered the to isolate a virus. anti-proton. IMAGES © THE NOBEL FOUNDATION, LAWRENCE BERKELEY NATIONAL LABORATORY, AND UC REGENTS 20 will that his enormous fortune be awarded to UC BERKELEY’S NObeL LauReaTES Another UC Berkeley invention with sub- people whose work and discoveries benefited In 1939, the Royal Swedish Academy of sequent modifications that resulted in multiple mankind. Nobel wanted prizes to be created in Sciences declared Berkeley professor Ernest Nobel Prizes is the laser. Charles Townes won five categories: physics, chemistry, physiology O. Lawrence the winner of the Nobel Prize the prize in Physics in 1964 for developing or medicine, literature, and peace. A econom- in Physics. Lawrence, a nuclear physicist, in- the maser (microwave amplification by stimu- ics prize in memoriam of Nobel was added in vented the cyclotron, a device that accelerates lated emission of radiation), a precursor to 1968. charged particles so they travel at great speeds. the laser. Two additional Nobel prizes went to Nobel died in 1896, but the first prizes Atoms of a target element are bombarded with UC Berkeley faculty who continued Townes’s were not awarded until 1901. Nobel’s family the high-speed particles. Upon impact, the par- research with lasers. Yuan T. Lee won the Prize disagreed with his wishes, and the establish- ticles and target element recombine and decay, in Chemistry in 1986 for developing a way to ment of the prize was delayed by years of briefly producing a new element. Lawrence’s send streams of particles, like beams of light, Nobel Tradition conflicts. It also took some time to decide how invention led to the discovery of many new towards other streams of particles, which al- the winners would be selected. elements, as well as hundreds of radioactive lowed scientists to look at chemical reactions It is a long process from nomination to isotopes. in a new way. Later, Stephen Chu used laser medal. First, a potential laureate beams to cool gasses to very low FEATURE must be nominated in a prize “I have the responsibility to use the temperatures. In a 2005 lecture by category, such as physics. Qualified several Nobel laureates, “Berkeley’s nominators for physics include title as a positive force so that science Nobel Tradition,” Chu described members of the Royal Swedish how these beams of supercooled Academy of Sciences, members of and education continue to prosper.” gases could hold an atom steady in the Nobel Committee for Physics, space, “the way a tractor beam might previous Nobel laureates in physics, physics Like Lawrence and the cyclotron, the Nobel hold on to a starship.” Scientists have used the professors at universities in Sweden, Denmark, Prize often is awarded to the inventor of a atom trap to study the structure of atoms, and Finland, and Norway, as well as at six other machine or technique that leads to new dis- Chu won the Nobel Prize in Physics for this international universities, and other scientists coveries. Fort instance, in 1952, Cal physicist work in 1997. selected by the Academy—a total of about Donald Glaser invented the bubble chamber, In all, UC Berkeley faculty have won eight 3,000 people. Each year, 250–350 physicists which allowed scientists to track the move- prizes in physics, seven in chemistry, four in are nominated. The aforementioned Nobel ment of charged particles. This invention was a economics, and one in literature. Berkeley’s most Committee for Physics (five members of the major contribution to the field of physics, and recent Nobel recipient is George Smoot, who Academy) then consults with outside experts Glaser received the Nobel Prize in 1960. Later, shared the 2006 Prize in Physics with John C. to narrow down the list. Finally, the Royal Luis Alvarez, another UC Berkeley physicist, Mather of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. Swedish Academy of Sciences votes on the built upon Glaser’s bubble chamber design. Smoot and Mather were in charge of building winner. Ever wonder if you’ve been nominated He filled the chamber with hydrogen instead and launching NASA’s Cosmic Background for a Nobel Prize? Sorry, you’ll be a professor of ether, which meant that the movement of Explorer satellite (COBE). They used data from emeritus before you find out: the names of atoms could be tracked more precisely. Alvarez this satellite to produce images of the remnant nominees are kept secret for 50 years. received the Nobel Prize in 1968. light of the Big Bang, which showed that it has 1968 1980 1983 1986 1994 1997 2000 2001 2006 GERARD DebREU, DanIEL MCFadden, ECONOMICS (1983) ECONOMICS (2000) Created the theo- Incorporated human retical framework behavior into economic that describes JOHN HaRsanYI, models of decision- the law of making. LUIS ALVAREZ, PHYSICS (1968) ECONOMICS (1994) Improved upon Glaser’s supply and Used game theory to explain demand. bubble chamber design by human behavior in economic GEORge SMOOT, PHYSICS (2006) using hydrogen instead of and political conflicts. His work with the Cosmic ether inside of the chamber. Background Explorer satellite allowed him to see images of CZesLAW MILOSZ, cosmic background radiation, LIteRatURE (1980) which is thought to be a So far, the only Berkeley remnant of the Big Bang. faculty member to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. GEORge AKERLOF, Milosz was an author YUan T. Lee, StepHen CHU, ECONOMICS (2001) and poet, CHEMIstRY (1986) PHYSICS (1997) His theories explained how, and wrote Developed when buyers and sellers don’t critiques of molecular beam Used lasers to make supercooled gases that could hold on to an atom, have access to the same infor- communism. devices that allow scientists mation, markets do not behave to view chemical reactions. according to Chu, “the way a tractor beam might hold on to a starship.” according to traditional economic theories. 21 hot and cold regions—ripples in space-time And others try to use their clout as a Nobel about the origins of the universe is broadly im- left over from the universe’s violent origin. Prize winner to do some good. “This title has portant. It is a “cultural heritage for mankind, weight,” says Smoot. “I have the responsibility “ says Smoot. “Every society has a story of how A NObeL INcubaTOR to use that as a positive force so science contin- the universe began. This can be an intellectu- UC Berkeley has all of the ingredients for ues to prosper, and education prospers.” ally powerful, verified creation story. No longer Nobel-worthy discoveries: well-established a myth.” Understanding the mechanics of the programs in physics, chemistry, and econom- FRee PaRKING AND SOCIAL universe, Smoot hopes, will ultimately make ics, faculty members who are leaders in their ReSPONSIBILITY people take an active role in understanding the fields, and top-notch facilities and equipment. Here at UC Berkeley, the receipt of a Nobel technical issues in society. “The more people But, says Smoot, success in the Nobel arena Prize comes with a complimentary parking believe that the world is rational, the more they Nobel Tradition requires something more.