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It's a sweep!

The CNN.com headline read “U.S. Nobel winning streak now at six,” which I love because you’d think they were writing about the World Series or something.

Thus far, six Nobel prize winners have been announced, and all six have been Americans. The most recent is Edmund Phelps from Columbia University, who is honored for his work in economics. Considering that he is now $1.4 million richer, I’d say he’s some sort of economics genius. The other prizes have been for medicine, physics, and chemistry — maybe scientific learning isn’t dead in the US.

This Thursday we’ll hear about the prize for literature (cross your fingers, I think I might be the first blogger) and the Nobel Peace Prize. If the US sweeps all eight categories, I expect to see hardcore rioting in the streets around US universities. The full deal, too — cars tipping over, trashcans aflame, women lifting up their shirts for beads, and men drunkingly making out with one another. Go America!

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Tomorrow is Tuesday, October 9 10 (whoops!). For those of you in and around Boston, please come out to Harvard University to hear Dr. Michael Shermer give a talk about Why Darwin Matters. Afterward, he’ll be heading to the Redline to sign his new book. You can meet me and a few of the guys from the podcast, as the talk is sponsored by the New England Skeptical Society, the Humanist Association of Massachusetts, and the Humanist Chaplaincy at Harvard. The talk itself is at the Science Center in Hall D. You can see a map of the campus with the Science Center smack in the middle by clicking here. For more info on the Science Center, click here. If you come, please introduce yourself! I like people. Most people.

Rebecca Watson

Rebecca is a writer, speaker, YouTube personality, and unrepentant science nerd. In addition to founding and continuing to run Skepchick, she hosts Quiz-o-Tron, a monthly science-themed quiz show and podcast that pits comedians against nerds. There is an asteroid named in her honor. Twitter @rebeccawatson Mastodon mstdn.social/@rebeccawatson Instagram @actuallyrebeccawatson TikTok @actuallyrebeccawatson YouTube @rebeccawatson BlueSky @rebeccawatson.bsky.social

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9 Comments

  1. USA! USA! USA! Don’t get too excited, we haven’t gotten the drug test results back yet (it takes those old guys a while to pee into a cup). And I think those two guys who won for medicine last week are very suspect. I mean, if you win the Nobel Prize for medicine don’t tell me you didn’t know it was steroids your trainer gave you.

    Speaking of drugs, in my little world tomorrow is Tuesday October 10th. I think someone has better stuff than me.

  2. Awesome! By some coincidence, Tuesday is the only weeknight this month I'm not caught up in play rehearsals. And it's after work, too. I am so gonna be there.

  3. Does helping people to Rest in Peace count toward the Nobel Peace Prize? If it doesn't I think that I may see an end to our streak in the near future.

    Did anyone catch the coverage on NPR over the weekend comparing the US record in world sporting events to the Nobel Prize record? The coverage was fun and lighthearted. They also pointed out the difference in salaries between professional athletes and professional reserachers. That wasn't as funny.

  4. Also, think how much more enjoyable sports would be if the competitors were doing it for the love of the thing, like most scientists, instead of for vast rewards.

  5. Oh no, durnett! You mean NPR beat me to the sports analogy? Damn you, Weekend Edition! Obviously they teleported to the future, read my blog, and then zipped back to scoop me.

  6. On the other hand, unlike professional athlethes, scientists aren't forced to use steroids and wear out their physical health beyond the limits just to stay in the running.

    When was the last time you heard of a phycisist with a niggling brain injury, or a sprained eye that hasn't quite healed yet but they're already back conducting more research?

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