Nobels in dubious causes

摘要

With great power comes great responsibility, said the wise uncle of Peter Parker, a.k.a. Spiderman. The same might be true of Nobel laureates. Every October, a new class of formerly obscure scientists is hurled into the limelight, their lives changing literally overnight with that phone call from Stockholm. Their daily routine changes from one of quiet hours in the lab to one encompassing many new demands on their time, from speaking engagements to invitations to sign the latest petition for peace and justice on the planet (see page 374).