These Are the Winners of the 2024 Nobel Prizes
The 2024 Nobel Prize announcements began on Oct. 7, recognizing groundbreaking contributions to humanity.
The first prize, in the category of physiology or medicine, went to a pair of American scientists for their work in discovering microRNAs. The second prize, in the category of physics, went to an American and British Canadian for their pioneering work on machine learning. Recipients of the Nobel Prize in chemistry, literature, peace, and economic sciences will be announced over the coming week. Winners are given a medal, a personal diploma, and a cash award of about $1.1 million. Established by Alfred Nobel in 1901, past laureates have included Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]Below is a list of all of this year’s winners as they are announced.
Physiology or medicine
Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun were awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery of microRNAs, a class of small molecules essential for gene regulation. Their research has uncovered how these microRNAs influence cellular behavior and contribute to various health challenges, including cancer and heart disease. As the understanding of these tiny regulators expands, so does the potential for innovative therapeutic approaches to complex medical conditions.
Read More: What to Know About MicroRNA, the Nobel-Prizewinning Discovery
Ambros and Ruvkun’s work began in the 1990s when they studied roundworms, uncovering the intricate relationship between specific genes and the regulatory role of microRNAs. This discovery revealed that microRNAs can bind to messenger RNA, influencing the production of proteins critical for cellular functions. Their findings, published in Cell in 1993, opened new avenues for understanding genetic communication within cells. Thomas Perlmann, secretary general of the Nobel Committee for Physiology or Medicine, called their work “truly fundamental for all physiology.”
Physics
John J. Hopfield and Geoffrey E. Hinton were awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics for their use of statistical physics concepts in the development of artificial neural networks. Artificial neural networks play a fundamental role in machine learning and artificial intelligence by allowing machines to find and recognize patterns in extremely large datasets.
Read More: The A to Z of Artificial Intelligence
At a press conference, Ellen Moons, chair of the Nobel Committee for Physics, explained the significance of their work. These artificial neural networks have been used to advance research across physics topics as diverse as particle physics, material science, and astrophysics. They have also become part of our daily lives, for instance, in facial recognition and language translation.
She also warned that the powerful technological advancement comes with risks. “However, while machine learning has enormous benefits, its rapid development has also raised concerns about our future. Collectively, humans carry the responsibility for using this new technology in a safe and ethical way for the greatest benefit of humankind,” she said.
Chemistry
The recipient will be announced on Wednesday.
Literature
The recipient will be announced on Thursday.
Peace
The recipient will be announced on Friday.
Economic sciences
The recipient will be announced on Oct. 14.
— Anna Gordon contributed reporting