Explore every episode of the podcast Nobel Prize Conversations
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Jumper: Nobel Prize Conversations | 18 Jun 2025 | 00:44:21 | |
”I really love the notion of contributing something to physics.” — Chemistry laureate John Jumper has always been passionate about science and understanding the world. With the AI tool AlphaFold, he and his co-laureate Demis Hassabis have provided a possibility to predict protein structures. In this podcast conversation, Jumper speaks about the excitement of seeing how AI can help us more in the future. Jumper also shares his scientific journey and how he ended up working with AlphaFold. He describes a special memory from the 2018 CASP conference where AlphaFold was presented for the first time. Another life-changing moment was the announcement of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in October 2024 – Jumper tells us how his life has changed since then. Through their lives and work, failures and successes – get to know the individuals who have been awarded the Nobel Prize on the Nobel Prize Conversations podcast. Find it on Acast, or wherever you listen to pods. https://linktr.ee/NobelPrizeConversations © Nobel Prize Outreach. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Victor Ambros: Nobel Prize Conversations | 11 Jun 2025 | 00:39:25 | |
“The reason why I was doing science all these years is because I just love doing it.”– Medicine laureate Victor Ambros grew up on a farm with seven siblings. Throughout his career, he has seen collaboration as a crucial part of science. In this podcast conversation with Adam Smith, Ambros talks about his scientific journey and how much his father has influenced him. He also shares his experiences on imposter syndrome and gives some advice on how to deal with it. Through their lives and work, failures and successes – get to know the individuals who have been awarded the Nobel Prize on the Nobel Prize Conversations podcast. Find it on Acast, or wherever you listen to pods. https://linktr.ee/NobelPrizeConversations © Nobel Prize Outreach. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| First Reactions | Han Kang, Nobel Prize in Literature 2024 | Telephone interview | 10 Oct 2024 | 00:07:30 | |
”I’m so surprised and honoured.” 2024 literature laureate Han Kang had just finished dinner with her son at her home in Seoul when she received the news. In this interview with the Nobel Prize, she reflects on being the first South Korean literature laureate and talks about how writers as a collective have influenced her. “All their efforts and strengths have been my inspiration.” Han Kang also talks about her writing process on the international hit “The Vegetarian”, and recommends her most recent book “We Do Not Part” for anyone who’s curious to start reading her books. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Calling David Julius, 2021 medicine laureate | 04 Oct 2021 | 00:07:59 | |
"The reason that we were able to do it is because we started looking at the natural world." – Turning to some natural product pharmacology was one key to David Julius' success in unlocking the mysteries of how we sense temperature. As he describes in this brief interview with Adam Smith, news that Stockholm was calling reached him in a rather roundabout route in the middle of the night, via a call from his sister-in-law and then a message sent to his wife, Holly Ingraham. Here, to the backdrop of making coffee to help prepare for the busy day ahead, he talks about the possibilities arising from his discoveries, what great scientists taught him about the best way to approach research, and what his mother said when she heard the news! From October 4-11, don't miss our mini-season that will showcase the absolute freshest interviews with the new 2021 Nobel Prize laureates. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Calling Ardem Patapoutian, 2021 medicine laureate | 04 Oct 2021 | 00:05:11 | |
"In science many times it’s the things that we take for granted that are of high interest." – As Ardem Patapoutian says, sometimes the familiar can yield the best surprises. When it comes to figuring out how our senses work, the sense of touch "was kind of the big elephant in the room." Patapoutian had his phone on Do Not Disturb when Stockholm tried to call him but got the news, via his Dad, just in time to watch the press conference, sitting in bed with his son Luca. Adam Smith caught him there to record this brief call moments after the public announcement of his Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, and he describes how finally finding the sensors that allow cells to detect pressure has opened up whole new unexpected vistas of phenomena that are governed by sensitivity to touch. As he reflects, "Nobody ever could have thought that pressure sensing is related to these processes." From October 4-11, don't miss our mini-season that will showcase the absolute freshest interviews with the new 2021 Nobel Prize laureates. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Behind the scenes: Adam Smith's October interviews with the new Nobel Prize laureates | 29 Sep 2021 | 00:36:13 | |
Each year in October, Adam Smith takes on the challenge of reaching the brand new Nobel Prize laureates for a telephone interview. In this bonus episode of Nobel Prize Conversations, Adam takes us behind the scenes of these calls and has collected some of his favourite moments. The host for this episode is Karin Svensson, the producer of Nobel Prize Conversations. From October 4-11, don't miss our mini-season that will showcase the absolute freshest interviews with the new 2021 Nobel Prize laureates. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Robert Wilson: Nobel Prize Conversations | 31 Mar 2021 | 00:37:45 | |
“I guess I was halfway content with the idea that somehow I’d become an economist.” – 2020 Laureate in Economic Sciences Robert Wilson didn’t really see himself as an economist until he reached the age of 50. Hear Wilson speak about his journey to becoming an economist. In this ‘Nobel Prize Conversations’ episode, Wilson also speaks about how he received the news about his Prize in Economic Sciences and the culture shock he experienced when he started to study at Harvard University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Frank Wilczek: Nobel Prize Conversations | 17 Mar 2021 | 00:40:19 | |
In the newest episode of ‘Nobel Prize Conversations’, physics laureate Frank Wilczek tells us about his hope to make a mark on the world. Wilzcek recently released a new book, ‘Fundamentals: Ten Keys to Reality’, where the readers get to follow Wilzcek on a “simple yet profound exploration of reality”. In this podcast episode, he discusses his new book. Another topic that is up for discussion is how to reach scientific results and Wilzcek shares his thoughts on the matter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Donna Strickland: Nobel Prize Conversations | 03 Mar 2021 | 00:31:42 | |
2018 Nobel Physics Laureate Donna Strickland knew she wanted to get a PhD, even as a kid. She didn’t know what it was, but if it was the ultimate in education she was going to get it! In the newest episode of ‘Nobel Prize Conversations’ we meet Donna Strickland and talk about her childhood dream of a PhD, dealing with failure, being a woman in science and being awarded the Nobel Prize. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Robert Lefkowitz: Nobel Prize Conversations | 17 Feb 2021 | 00:51:13 | |
“Failure is an inevitable part of doing science.” – Even as one of the best-of-the-best young doctors in the country, Robert Lefkowitz’s research career kicked off in 1968 with a demoralizing string of failures at the now-legendary NIH Associates Training Program.
Together with Adam Smith, 2012 Chemistry Laureate Robert Lefkowitz shares his experience of dealing with failure. In addition, they discuss the importance of mentoring, the crucial role of collaboration in scientific development and the writing of Lefkowitz’s new memoir “A funny thing happened on the way to Stockholm”.
Lefkowitz’s research training class, the class of 1968, yielded no fewer than four Nobel Prize Laureates – a track record that’s hard to fathom. Listen to this episode of Nobel Prize Conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Roger Penrose: Nobel Prize Conversations | 03 Feb 2021 | 00:52:38 | |
“I am very bad at giving up.” – Get to know one of the greatest minds of today, physicist Roger Penrose. At 89, he seems to be working more than ever and is engaged in various research projects. In an intimate conversation with the Nobel Prize’s Adam Smith, Penrose speaks about how 2020 was a year that gave him time to reflect and develop even more research ideas – until he was awarded the Nobel Prize! Black holes, magic blackboards and childhood aspirations are other topics that are up for discussion. Roger Penrose was awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics "for the discovery that black hole formation is a robust prediction of the general theory of relativity". Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Peter Doherty: Nobel Prize Conversations | 20 Jan 2021 | 00:33:53 | |
"This is the first time we have had a completely novel virus infection and we are trying to vaccinate our way out of it." In conversation with Nobel Prize’s Adam Smith, Medicine Laureate Peter Doherty speaks about how we should learn from the current corona pandemic to be better prepared for and preferably prevent future pandemics. Doherty was awarded the 1996 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for research on how the immune system recognises virus-ridden cells. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Paul Nurse: Nobel Prize Conversations | 23 Dec 2020 | 00:34:23 | |
Known for his contagious energy and sometimes unconventional advice, Paul Nurse talks about Brexit and its effects on scientists and research, and why he has heeded the call to leadership in science – the same science that politicians say they're following. He also recalls his early years in biology as a spider hunter and why he thinks it's vital to ponder the big questions like "What is life?" Paul Nurse received the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine "for discoveries of key regulators of the cell cycle", sharing the distinction with Tim Hunt and Leland Hartwell. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| First Reactions | David Baker, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2024 | Telephone interview | 09 Oct 2024 | 00:06:15 | |
“I got the phone call and my wife promptly started screaming.” News of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry gave David Baker’s household a very early wake up call. Here, just after the prize announcement, Baker speaks to the Nobel Prize’s Adam Smith about the exciting potential of building brand new proteins, the inspirational effect his fellow laureates have had on his field and whether it is necessary to understand how predictive algorithms work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Emmanuelle Charpentier: Nobel Prize Conversations | 09 Dec 2020 | 00:30:23 | |
In this episode we hear 2020 Nobel Chemistry Laureate Emmanuelle Charpentier speak about the drive you need as a researcher and what impact awards can have on a career. Her road to the Nobel Prize was a winding journey, and she recalls how science was her stability. Charpentier shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Jennifer Doudna for discovering key aspects of a naturally-occuring defence mechanism in bacteria, called CRISPR/Cas9, and developing it into one of gene technology's sharpest tools. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Andrea Ghez: Nobel Prize Conversations | 09 Dec 2020 | 00:40:19 | |
Meet astrophysicist Andrea Ghez, recipient of the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics "for the discovery of a supermassive compact object at the centre of our galaxy." In this energy-packed conversation with Adam Smith, you can hear about prima donna galaxies, Ghez’s personal pet star, and how she overcame one of her biggest childhood fears. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Kip Thorne: Nobel Prize Conversations | 25 Nov 2020 | 00:36:33 | |
Meet astrophysicist Kip Thorne, who was awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics "for decisive contributions to the LIGO detector and the observation of gravitational waves.". In a wide-ranging conversation with host Adam Smith they cover Albert Einstein’s importance to the field of science, whether time travel is actually possible, and what it was like to be the physics guru inside the blockbuster film ’Interstellar’. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Christopher Pissarides: Nobel Prize Conversations | 01 Oct 2020 | 00:38:08 | |
"I was always interested in big problems, and when I see a big problem I say, 'Let’s try to solve it, let’s try to think of a solution!'" Meet Christopher Pissarides, a humble London School of Economics professor who finished his PhD in two years and was awarded the 2010 Prize in Economic Sciences. He and his co-laureates Peter Diamond and Dale Mortensen were awarded the prize for finding ways to incorporate real-world frictions into the mathematical models that describe market behaviour. Their Diamond-Mortensen-Pissarides (DMP) model is one of the most widely-used analytical tools for labour markets. Besides discussing labour markets, we speak about educational systems, how life has been affected by covid-19 and how Pissarides experienced moving from Cyprus to the UK. This the is final episode of Nobel Prize Conversations season one. We hope you have enjoyed the podcasts and we look forward to welcoming you back soon for season two. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Esther Duflo: Nobel Prize Conversations | 23 Sep 2020 | 00:31:30 | |
Esther Duflo’s research improves our ability to fight global poverty. In just two decades, co-laureates Duflo, Banerjee and Kremer have transformed development economics with their innovative experiment-based approach, which is now a flourishing field of research. Thanks to their work we have clearer perspectives on the core problems within areas such as education and health. In this episode Adam Smith speaks to Esther Duflo about how her drive to understand and fight poverty began at an early age. They discuss the world in coronavirus times, and the fears and prejudices connected to migration. Duflo also shares her tips for managers and her best collaboration techniques. Esther Duflo received the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel 2019 together with Abhijit Banerjee and Michael Kremer for their experimental approach to alleviating global poverty. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Daniel Kahneman: Nobel Prize Conversations | 16 Sep 2020 | 00:34:10 | |
How does it feel to be one of the most famous behavioural psychologists of our time? Daniel Kahneman says that it is perfectly fine to be famous as long as you don’t let it go to your head. From an early age, Kahneman was interested in people - his mother, both with irony and objectivity, observed and was fascinated with people in her surroundings.
In this digital conversation podcast host Adam Smith speaks to Daniel Kahneman in New York on eureka moments, scientific collaborations, stereotypes and racial discrimination, and also advice: “In general I try to give as little advice as possible.”
Daniel Kahneman was awarded the 2002 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel "for having integrated insights from psychological research into economic science, especially concerning human judgment and decision-making under uncertainty”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Oliver Hart: Nobel Prize Conversations | 22 Apr 2020 | 00:40:27 | |
Imagine you’re married, but you never discussed children with your partner beforehand. Then imagine your partner doesn’t want children, but you do. Your wedding day contract made no mention of kids, and legally everything is fine – but you’re still disappointed. Contracts are everywhere in society, and the example of children and marriage is just one example that shows that many contracts are - as Oliver Hart would say - incomplete. In a conversation with The Nobel Prize’s Adam Smith, Hart explores the importance of words and language for a researcher, how being good at economics is about learning to THINK like an economist and how Oliver Hart’s parents influenced him to think that anyone who’s not left-wing is an idiot. In 2016 Oliver Hart was awarded the Prize in Economic Sciences, together with the Finnish economist Bengt Holmström, for his contribution to contract theory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Christopher Sims: Nobel Prize Conversations | 08 Apr 2020 | 00:37:42 | |
How important is the money in your pocket? Try buying a sandwich with an IOU and a promise to come back and pay, and you’ll soon understand. Christopher Sims’ research explores topics from the meaning of money to his Prize-awarded work on cause and effect in the macroeconomy. In a conversation with The Nobel Prize’s Adam Smith, Sims touches on sandwich shops, terrific teachers and a horse with a name that’s almost impossible to pronounce. In 2011, Christopher Sims and fellow economist Thomas Sargent were awarded the Prize in economic sciences for developing methods that help define 'what caused what' in economics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Alvin Roth: Nobel Prize Conversations | 25 Mar 2020 | 00:41:47 | |
Would you say that you own your kidneys? What if you tried to sell one? Economic Sciences laureate Alvin Roth would call that, and other taboo exchanges, repugnant transactions. Roth pioneered ways of describing outlier markets where prices don’t work, and explaining why you can’t buy a job at Google or acceptance at Yale – or a human organ. In 2012, Alvin Roth was awarded the Prize in Economic Sciences for his work in matching markets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Roger Myerson - Nobel Prize Conversations | 11 Mar 2020 | 00:37:52 | |
Belonging to a community is wonderful, but for Economic Sciences laureate Roger Myerson sharing outside your community is more important. By crossing math with history and politics, Myerson arrived at new insights about economics, found his love for Game Theory and moved onwards into new ways to describe situations where markets don’t work properly. Roger Myerson was awarded the 2007 Prize in Economic Sciences, shared with Leonid Hurwicz and Eric Maskin, for mechanism design theory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| First Reactions | John Jumper, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2024 | Telephone interview | 09 Oct 2024 | 00:03:34 | |
“It’s absolutely extraordinary.” John Jumper had just heard the news of his 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry when he spoke to the Nobel Prize’s Adam Smith. “I thought I had a 10 % chance,” he reveals. To save his nerves, his plan had been to sleep in until after the announcement, which didn’t quite work out. In the interview, he talks about being the youngest chemistry laureate in over 70 years, and about AI’s role in science. “What I love about all this is that we can draw a straight line from what we do to people being healthy.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Paul Romer: Nobel Prize Conversations | 26 Feb 2020 | 00:42:09 | |
Protecting the ship, building relationships and organising surprise weddings – in this week’s episode, Economic Sciences laureate Paul Romer discusses everything from the special moment he experienced just hours before collecting his prize to the importance of unity, purpose and inclusion. Romer shared the 2018 Prize in Economic Sciences with William D. Nordhaus for integrating technological innovations into long-run macroeconomic analysis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Angus Deaton: Nobel Prize Conversations | 12 Feb 2020 | 00:42:19 | |
Angus Deaton dreamed of being a pianist, a rugby player or a mathematician – but he just wasn’t good enough. After these setbacks, however, he discovered economics, and in 2015 he was awarded the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel for his analysis of consumption, poverty, and welfare. Listen to a conversation about some wild ideas, beautiful places and the role trout fishing can play in problem-solving. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Richard Thaler: Nobel Prize Conversations | 29 Jan 2020 | 00:33:08 | |
Nudges, sludges, and the connection between stubbornness and success - in this first episode of Nobel Prize conversations, host Adam Smith interviews Economic Sciences laureate Richard Thaler. His work has helped us to understand how people make choices in the real world and has also given us tools to nudge people towards better decisions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| First Reactions | Demis Hassabis, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2024 | Telephone interview | 09 Oct 2024 | 00:05:08 | |
“The best scientists paired with these kinds of tools will be able to do incredible things.” Demis Hassabis, 2024 Nobel Prize laureate in Chemistry, reflects on building the right research environment and the interplay between AI and individual scientists. This short conversation with Nobel Prize’s Adam Smith was recorded just after he had received the call from Stockholm. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| First Reactions | John Hopfield, Nobel Prize in Physics 2024 | Telephone interview | 08 Oct 2024 | 00:10:02 | |
“You have to build up from the bottom.” In this interview shortly after the announcement, 2024 physics laureate John Hopfield talks about how he found out about the prize when he was going through his e-mails. ”It didn't sink it until I got to the fourth e-mail!” Hopfield reflects on how to tackle big questions, such as how the mind works, in this conversation. He and his wife Mary Waltham spoke to the Nobel Prize’s Adam Smith from his cottage in the village of Selborne in England, which was home to the 18th century naturalist Gilbert White. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| First Reactions | Geoffrey Hinton, Nobel Prize in Physics 2024 | Telephone interview | 08 Oct 2024 | 00:06:47 | |
“How could I be sure it wasn’t a spoof call?” 2024 physics laureate Geoffrey Hinton received the phone call from Stockholm at around 2am in a hotel room in California, and multiple Swedish accents helped reassure him that his Nobel Prize in Physics was real. Greatly surprised, he talks to the Nobel Prize’s Adam Smith about the state of machine learning, the pressing need for safety research, and his hopes that the award might make people take the fears he voices more seriously. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| First Reactions | Victor Ambros, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2024 | Telephone interview | 07 Oct 2024 | 00:05:38 | |
“We see it as a celebration of the way of doing science,” says Victor Ambros of his Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. In this call with the Nobel Prize’s Adam Smith, Ambros speaks about the joy of basic research and the ever-expanding fascination of RNA. Recorded just after Ambros found out about the prize, we also discover how the news was broken to the new laureate by his son, who began with the leading question, “Have you been getting calls from Sweden?” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| First Reactions | Gary Ruvkun, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2024 | Telephone interview | 07 Oct 2024 | 00:06:26 | |
“I heard what sounded like an authentic call from the Nobel Committee!” New medicine laureate Gary Ruvkun might have received a prank call or two in the past, but today’s was genuine. He talked to the Nobel Prize’s Adam Smith minutes after hearing the news, about the pleasure of finding things out, the electrifying growth of the microRNA field over the years, and the benefits of taking time out. And as for what’s about to follow: “It’s going to be a fun ride!” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Jon Fosse: Nobel Prize Conversations | 17 Jul 2024 | 00:38:33 | |
Is the creative process different in the fields of art, literature and music? In a podcast conversation, literature laureate Jon Fosse speaks about all three fields and how they are similar in many ways. American painter Mark Rothko is mentioned as a source of inspiration as well as art in general. We also get insights into Fosse's childhood where music was large part of his life. Today Jon Fosse enjoys a world of silence and avoids the noise of the world if possible. He describes his writing process, how he enjoys writing by hand with fountain pens and how a reader can tell if a book is written by hand or not. He also speaks about his relationship to God and religion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Pierre Agostini: Nobel Prize Conversations | 10 Jul 2024 | 00:30:03 | |
Hear physics laureate Pierre Agostini describe how he found his love of science: ”It was only when I started doing research that I discovered the fun of physics." Together with podcast host Adam Smith, he talks about multiphoton ionisation, Planck time and contradicting Einstein. Agostini also tells us about how his life has changed after being awarded the 2023 physics prize and how it has taken him some time to get used to his new role as a Nobel Prize laureate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Daron Acemoglu: Nobel Prize Conversations | 04 Jun 2025 | 00:34:56 | |
"Asking is hard. Once you realise there's an interesting question to develop answers to, it is even harder." – Growing up in Istanbul, Turkey, shaped Daron Acemoglu’s life and career in many ways. It sparked his interest in politics and social sciences and led to a research career investigating the differences in prosperity between nations. Today Acemoglu is exploring the future of AI and how we can use it in the best possible way. In a conversation with Adam Smith he discusses his thoughts on the topic as well as sharing his advice for young researchers, including how to decide which research question to go for. Through their lives and work, failures and successes – get to know the individuals who have been awarded the Nobel Prize on the Nobel Prize Conversations podcast. Find it on Acast, or wherever you listen to pods. https://linktr.ee/NobelPrizeConversations © Nobel Prize Outreach. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Moungi Bawendi: Nobel Prize Conversations | 03 Jul 2024 | 00:34:27 | |
Is it possible to 'see' quantum mechanics in action? In a podcast conversation, chemistry laureate Moungi Bawendi speaks about the incredible gratification of visualising quantum mechanics and how his collaboration with co-laureate Louis Brus started. He also shares his love of music and speaks about how his lab's yearly ski trip helps his group work better together. Intuition and diversity in science are two more topics that are up for discussion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Louis Brus: Nobel Prize Conversations | 26 Jun 2024 | 00:32:53 | |
Some words of wisdom from chemistry laureate Louis Brus: "You recognise opportunity and then you have to take advantage of it. Seize the opportunity basically. It takes some struggle." In a conversation with podcast host Adam Smith, Louis Brus speaks about the process of discovery and his own scientific path. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Anne L'Huillier: Nobel Prize Conversations | 19 Jun 2024 | 00:34:26 | |
What are the benefits of creating a diverse laboratory? In this podcast episode with physicist Anne L’Huillier, we speak about the importance of diversity and how she herself speaks and thinks in three languages. From cultures and countries to gender, we discuss the advantages of bringing together people with a variety of backgrounds and experiences and how to promote this. Also up for discussion are the consequences of becoming a Nobel Prize laureate. L’Huillier sees both the good and bad sides, including being a source of inspiration while having less time to write her new scientific textbook. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Drew Weissman: Nobel Prize Conversations | 12 Jun 2024 | 00:35:49 | |
How can we ensure that knowledge and science are spread globally? Medicine laureate Drew Weissman is an advocate for creating research centres around the world to give local researchers the means to have ownership and solve health issues by themselves. As Weissman puts it: ”A lot of people set up a clinic in a city somewhere, collect samples, take them home, and study them. To me, that compounds the problem, because it doesn't teach people. It doesn't make scientists better.” Weissman also tells host Adam Smith about how his interest in science was sparked and how he has maintained that curiosity for the rest of his life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Claudia Goldin: Nobel Prize Conversations | 05 Jun 2024 | 00:39:45 | |
There are many roads one can take in life. But to what extent will your life choices decide what kind of person you become? In this podcast conversation with economist and laureate Claudia Goldin, we discuss the choices that brought her to this moment in time. Our podcast host Adam Smith, who meets Goldin in the year after she received the prize in economic science, also talks with her about the definition of a good teacher and Goldin’s pioneering research in women’s labour market. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Ferenc Krausz: Nobel Prize Conversations | 29 May 2024 | 00:45:01 | |
Meet 2023 physics laureate Ferenc Krausz in conversation with podcast host Adam Smith, as they discuss a scientific journey which has spanned three countries – and to which Krausz attributes his Nobel Prize. ”These particles were discovered more than a hundred years before. It took an utter century to develop the tools to actually capture them in motion. It was an indescribable moment.”, he says as he recalls how this moment of discovery was a long time in the making. Krausz was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for giving humanity new tools to exploring the world of electrons inside atoms and molecules. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Katalin Karikó: Nobel Prize Conversations | 22 May 2024 | 00:39:49 | |
"I also thank the people who tried to make my life miserable – because they made me work harder and become more resilient." – Working harder and becoming more resilient seems to be the story of Nobel Prize laureate Katalin Karikós’s life. Despite facing a number of enormous challenges, she has never lost hope or focus. Instead she is convinced that it is better to focus on yourself and not to despair when life doesn’t go as planned. In our podcast conversation Karikó, our 2023 medicine laureate, shares some of her best practices for overcoming obstacles and never giving up. As an added bonus, she also gives us some insightful parenting advice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Mario Molina: Encore presentation of Nobel Prize Talks | 29 Nov 2023 | 00:50:04 | |
"I had decided as a child if it was possible to become a scientist and to do scientific research for a living that's what I wanted to do." – In this episode, we meet physical chemist Mario Molina who spent his life working on climate research. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1995 for his investigations into how CFC gases damage the ozone layer. Molina dedicated his life to reducing their use and advocating for ways in which we can reduce our impact on the Earth. Molina speaks about the report he chaired, 'What We Know', a paper which discussed climate change in an effort to inform the public and oppose those who deny climate change. He also speaks about his childhood and about how his interest in science was sparked. Your host is Adam Smith, Chief Scientific Officer at Nobel Prize Outreach. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Jody Williams: Encore presentation of Nobel Prize Talks | 22 Nov 2023 | 00:50:20 | |
”I have been fortunate to be able to live my life doing what I believe in. Not everybody has that fortune" In this podcast episode, peace activist Jody Williams tells us how she has tried to use the power that was given to her after being awarded a Nobel Peace Prize. She is a strong advocate for working across organisations to solve global challenges such as banning nuclear weapons and eliminating the use of sexual violence in war. She also speaks about her work within the Nobel Women's Initiative, an organisation established by herself and other fellow female peace laureates. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| John Mather: Encore presentation of Nobel Prize Talks | 15 Nov 2023 | 00:45:33 | |
”I don't think it's my job or anybody's job to try to convince other people of the righteousness of my opinion. I think it's each person's job to figure out how they look at the world.” – This conversation with astrophysicist John Mather was recorded in 2014, where he speaks to Adam Smith about space and if we will be going to Mars in the future. Mather also shares good advice to young researchers on how to prioritise projects. The movie ’Gravity’ is another topic that comes up - how scientifically accurate is that movie?
John Mather was awarded the Nobel Prize on Physics in 2006 for research that looked back at the infancy of the Universe and attempted to gain some understanding of the origin of galaxies and stars. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| David Baker: Nobel Prize Conversations | 28 May 2025 | 00:39:31 | |
"If you imagine each researcher as a kind of a neuron in the communal brain, then people call me a connection machine.” – David Baker is a true believer in collaboration. He sees mentoring as one of the most essential parts of his job. Baker spends most of his time at his laboratory and his colleagues explain his role as a connection machine as he connects “people who are working on things that are related”. He believes that progress in science is made by working together and sharing ideas. Despite being in high demand since receiving his Nobel Prize, Baker has turned down all work trips to focus on being present in his laboratory and exploring new frontiers in science. The only work trip he has made since the prize announcement in October 2024 is the journey to Stockholm to receive his Nobel Prize. And for that, he brought 200 former students to Sweden celebrate the award with him. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Robert Shiller: Encore presentation of Nobel Prize Talks | 08 Nov 2023 | 00:48:56 | |
”Pursuing expertise doggedly can't be the goal for everyone because being specialised means losing some breadth of understanding. We need both kinds of people." – In this podcast episode recorded in 2014 economist Robert Shiller speaks about technology and the role he thinks it will have in the future. He also shares his best advice for young economists and what he thinks about teaching online courses to large audiences. Together with the Nobel Prize's Adam Smith, they also discuss stage fright, and how to overcome it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Barry Marshall: Encore presentation of Nobel Prize Talks | 01 Nov 2023 | 00:49:45 | |
”I wasn't interested in learning stuff. I was just interested in understanding, because I could see what a fabulous shortcut it always was.” – Meet 2005 medicine laureate Barry Marshall in a dynamic talk with the Nobel Prize’s Adam Smith. Marshall tells us about his blog (something very few laureates had in 2005), his status as a yo-yo expert and his research that paved the way to a Nobel Prize. Self-experimentation is another topic that is up for discussion. Marshall takes us back to the moment he drank a bacterial culture of Helicobacter pylori to prove that gastric ulcers were caused by bacterial infections - it's a story you don't want to miss! This conversation was originally presented in February 2014. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Alice Munro: Encore presentation of Nobel Prize Talks | 25 Oct 2023 | 00:46:10 | |
”It's the insight, the work, the way you give yourself to the story that matters.” – We present a heartwarming chat with Canadian ’master of short stories’ and literature laureate Alice Munro. This conversation between the Nobel Prize’s Adam Smith and Munro took place soon after she was awarded the 2013 Nobel Prize in Literature. In the episode, she reflects on how she creates short stories, what these stories have meant to her and her readers and why she started writing. Munro also tells Smith what she hopes to achieve with her writing: conveying stories that resonate, as well as surprise, her readers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||