The Nobel Prize in Chemistry goes to the scientists who deciphered proteins

Scientists David Becker, Demis Hassabis, and John M. Jumper have won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences This is Wednesday the ninth.

The three will share the prize of 11 million Swedish krona (about 5.8 million Brazilian reals at current prices).

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Baker and Jumper from North America. Hassabis, who helped found the company that later became Google DeepMind, is British.

Scientists were honored for deciphering the secrets of proteins (essential molecules of our cells and lives) through artificial intelligence and computing.

Last Tuesday, the eighth of this month, the Nobel Prize in Physics also honored studies on machine learning and artificial neural networks. This research is essential to the development of artificial intelligence.

Read also: “The Nobel Prize in Physics goes to artificial intelligence researchers”

The Nobel Prize Committee said in a statement: “Chemists have long dreamed of understanding and mastering the chemical tools of life, which are proteins.” “This dream is now within our reach.”

Hassabis and Jumper used artificial intelligence to map all protein structures already known to science. Meanwhile, Becker managed to create unprecedented proteins.

The committee added, “The implications of these findings are enormous.”

In 2023, three scientists won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their discovery of quantum dots – nanoparticles so small that their size determines their properties.

Since 1901, more than one hundred such awards have been awarded. Scientific discrimination was only eliminated on eight occasions: in 1916, 1917, 1919, 1924, 1933, 1940, 1941 and 1942.

In all, 194 people have been honored with the Nobel Prize in Chemistry between 1901 and 2023.

Read also: “October 8th in History: Jose Saramago wins the Nobel Prize for Literature”

Nobel Prize 2024

The Nobel Prize in Medicine was the first award to be announced, on Monday the seventh of this month, while the Physics Prize was announced the next day.

The Literature and Peace Awards will be announced later this week. The economics certificate will be issued next Monday the 14th. See the table:

• Medicine: Monday, October 7
• Physics: Tuesday, October 8
• Chemistry: Wednesday, October 9
• Literature: Thursday, October 10
• Peace: Friday, October 11
• Economy: Monday, October 14