In case you didn't see, this week the Nobel Prize winners have been announced across categories. The Nobel Prize is awarded for achievements in chemistry, peace, physiology or medicine and literature and physics. It has been given out every year since 1901.
This year, the winners of the Nobel Prize for Physics were two Russian scientists named Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov.
What did these two guys do? They made discoveries in a super-thin and super-strong carbon called "graphene." The material is only one atom thick and is nearly 100 times stronger than steel. That, in and of itself, is amazing. Just think about the possibilities of a material that is virtually two dimensional and stronger than any other material on earth. What might shock you more is how the two discovered the material. They were examining Scotch tape.
That's right everyone, you can win the Nobel Prize in physics with simple materials such as Scotch tape! Okay, maybe I'm being a little facetious. My point is that great things come from everyday people and materials. With this new material so many advances in technology can be created.
Many people are talking about how this could be the new plastic, and just look at how plastic revolutionized the world. Again, this all came about because two scientists decided to use very humble methods to peel back little layers of graphite to isolate the atoms and experiment with the materials.
Apparently once the material is developed, it will more or less replace silicon chips in computers due to the fact that it will be an even better conductor of signals.
Now, I'm no physicist, but that is incredible. I don't quite understand how the material only an atom thick could be so incredibly strong, but I do know that that kind of material could revolutionize the way we consume, the way we build or even the way we protect people.
It is also very encouraging for young scientists to know that sometimes even the simplest of materials can revolutionize the world. It takes these kinds of ideas to move our world forward and it is absolutely incredible people just keep making incredible discoveries everyday.
This gives hope for all young kids who want to be doctors, physicists, inventors, chemists, et cetera. It reminds us all that answers are all around us when we address the problems we face everyday. The discovery made using the same tape we use to repair torn paper will fascinate young scientists everywhere and hopefully help all of them to start thinking outside the box.
The Nobel Prize continues to honor those who make incredible strides in their fields and shows that despite everything going on in our world, there are still so many people who are committed to making it a better place everyday.
It is hard to imagine there is a light at the end of the tunnel sometimes when one watches the news, but these news stories show there is a light burning brightly all around us in all corners of the world. We all just need to open our eyes and see it.
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