NOBEL PRIZES HONOR A RECORD 5 WOMEN

A RECORD FIVE WOMEN WERE AMONG
THE 13 PEOPLE AWARDED NOBEL PRIZES

STOCKHOLM (AP) - A record five women were among the 13 people awarded Nobel Prizes on Thursday, including a writer who depicted life behind the Iron Curtain and two American researchers who showed how chromosomes protect themselves from degrading. Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf presented the 10 million kronor ($1.4 million) prizes in chemistry, physics, medicine, literature and economics at an elegant ceremony at Stockholm concert hall. Hours earlier, President Barack Obama received the peace prize in Oslo. The prizes were created in Alfred Nobel's 1895 will, which stipulated that they be granted to those who "have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind." They were first awarded in 1901. Only 40 women have won the prestigious awards, including Marie Curie who was given the 1903 physics prize and the chemistry prize eight years later.

Romanian-born author Herta Mueller accepted the Nobel literature award for her critical depiction of life behind the Iron Curtain. Elinor Ostrom, 76, made history by being the first woman to receive the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, sharing it with fellow American Oliver Williamson for their work in economic governance. Americans Elizabeth H. Blackburn, 61, and Carol W. Greider, 48, shared the 2009 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine with countryman Jack W. Szostak for their work in solving the mystery of how chromosomes protect themselves from degrading when cells divide. The chemistry award was shared by 70-year-old Ada Yonath of Israel and Americans Venkatraman Ramakrishnan and Thomas Steitz for their atom-by-atom description of ribosomes. Their research is being used to develop new antibiotics. American George E. Smith shared the physics award with countryman Willard S. Boyle for inventing a sensor used in digital cameras. Also taking the prize was Charles K. Kao, also from the U.S., for discovering how to transmit light signals long distances through hair-thin glass fibers.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

I once invited the Nobel prize-winning scientist C V Raman to preside over a function on Sri Krishna Janmashtami at Sri Gaudiya Math, Bagh Bazar, Calcutta. The scientist declined the invitation on the ground that Krishna was fictitious and he had got no intention of wasting valuable time on such functions. Dr Raman said that if I could reveal Krishna to him, he would go to attend the function … can you show me your God? I said: If your students say to you, they will study your scientific findings only if you make them realised first, then what would you say? Dr Raman said, No, they are to take my process through which I have realised the truth. I said, If this is true for you and your scientific knowledge, can the seers of ancient India not say exactly the same thing? Why not follow their process and see whether you experience God's existence or not.

Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaja :
From a letter published on Jul 16, 2002
by Sreecgmath - Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math