STOCKHOLM (AFP) – Three physicists won the 2009 Nobel Prize on Tuesday for work on fibre optics and light sensing that helped unleash the Information Technology revolution.
Charles Kao, Willard Boyle and George Smith were hailed by the Nobel jury as "the masters of light" for transforming communications from copper-wire telephony and postal mail to the era of the Internet, email and instant messaging.
"This year's Nobel Prize in Physics is awarded for two scientific achievements that have helped to shape the foundations of today's networked societies.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/nobelphysics

I am absolutely sure any one of us that frequents these forums could go on for several pages about the fantastic impact on the planet as a whole that these three have had, and it is a well deserved award.



But, I continue to hear, and probably will until the generation has died off, how much the simple handwritten letter or card is missed from an old friend, or child, or especially grandchild. Knowing that someone was thinking enough of you to sit down and take the time to compose that note or letter or card means a lot, at least to the older folks, like my parents' generation and back.

Another decade or two, and most won't remember, most likely.

i think velvetsilence summed it up pretty good (quoting from other thread) with his post:

The other Nobels are for accomplishment but the peace prize has always been a more subjective political statement. sometimes carrot sometimes doggie treat.




the nobel prizes regarding sciences (physics, chemistry etc) have always been 'result oriented' if you will, given out for specific achievements in the respective area, sadly often with a huge lag between said achievement and the honoring of it. i would add literature to velvet's list as a subjective prize though, although i guess honoring historically 'important' books can be a good thing.