Nobel Prize in Chemistry winners' names leaked in major blunder
What's the story
The names of the winners of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry have been allegedly leaked, just hours before the official announcement. They include Moungi Bawendi from MIT, Louis Brus from Columbia University, and Alexei Ekimov of Nanocrystals Technology Inc. Dagens Nyheter, Swedish Television, and Swedish Radio reported that they received a press release from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, naming the three US-based chemists as the winners.
Details
Academy investigates potential leak
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has not confirmed the leaked information and is currently looking into the matter. Eva Nevelius, the Academy's press spokesperson, said they can't comment on the situation until they have a better understanding of what happened. To note, the above-mentioned press release cannot be found on the Academy's website.
What Next?
Winners bagged the award for quantum dots discovery
According to the leaked press release, the three chemists were awarded the Nobel Chemistry Prize "for the discovery and synthesis of quantum dots." Quantum dots are tiny semiconductor particles with special optical and electronic properties. They are used in many areas, like solar cells, LEDs, medical imaging, and quantum computing. The official announcement of this year's Nobel Chemistry Prize winners was set to happen shortly after a meeting and vote by the Academy.
Insights
Concerns raised over nomination secrecy
Heiner Linke, an expert on the Academy's Nobel Chemistry Committee, was surprised by the leak and stressed that no decision had been made yet. The list of nominations for each Nobel Prize is kept secret to make sure the selection process stays confidential and fair. This incident raises questions about how well the Academy's secrecy measures work and what effect it could have on future nominations.