Martin Karplus, Michael Levitt and Arieh Warshel share the Nobel Prize in Chemistry of 2013. Their work has a lot to do with computer science.
If you imagine chemistry researcher, you think of people in lab coats, the day many complex experiments with complicated equipment and more or less hazardous materials perform need. A very practical science, ie, when one must still grab
However, as the three winners of this year’s Nobel Prize for Chemistry show, the Subject has more and more to do with modern computer technology. Martin Karplus (Harvard University / University of Strasbourg, 1930 born in Austria), Michael Levitt (Stanford University, 1947 Born in South Africa) and Arieh Warshel (University of Southern California, 1940 born in Israel) received the award for their fundamental work on simulation method, with which experiments in the computer be carried out without the need to come to the lab bench.
“This award is given for work that make it possible to bring the chemistry experiment in cyberspace,” said Staffan Normark, Permanent Secretary of the Swedish Academy of Sciences. Karplus, Levitt and Warshel have important of basic research to develop code with which to understand complex processes and could predict their results. “Computer models that reflect real life, are crucial for most progress being made today in chemistry.”
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Their work combines classical physics, with which can determine the behavior of atoms with quantum mechanics, which helps in the understanding of chemical compounds. Sven Lidin, chairman of the selection committee, commented that it had been made amazing progress in the computer simulations in recent decades. This had previously been still extremely easy. “If theory and experiment contradicted each other, we were always sure that the theorists were wrong.” The procedures Karplus, Levitt and Warshel have developed, showed that not to be right.
All three researchers, despite their origin from other countries meanwhile Americans, but kept the double or triple (Levitt) citizenship at. In the past year had received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry even researchers who worked on communications systems in the human body – and this is not necessarily part of the “classical” chemistryIn the grounds of the Academy stated that the visualization of chemical processes on the computer. is of great importance, the method can be shown, for example, working as a catalyst or photosynthesis expire. The software developed by the researchers is available on the Web in part, as Warshel has the tools and Chemsol Molaris published.
The work of the three researchers began back in the 70s. Back then it was all about, to find replacement for old chemical methods such as the construction touchable models, in which was worked with simple plastic balls and rods. These are extremely impractical for complex reactions. In the computer you can now leave not only run reactions, but can also represent three-dimensional models. Levitt, whose price is the second win for the Stanford University this year, said he had been wondering who calls him out. “My phone never rings, everyone sends me text messages and e-mail,” he said, laughing his hometown newspaper. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry is worth 8 million Swedish kronor, equivalent to currently almost 920,000 euros. The sum is divided among the winners. <- AUTHOR MARKER DATA BEGIN -> ( Ben Swan ) / <- RSPEAK_STOP -> (bsc)
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