October 09, 2023

A Quantum Leap


A Quantum Leap
Samples of coal-derived graphene quantum dots that glow when exposed to light. Wikimedia Commons, U.S. Department of Energy.

The laureates of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry were revealed in Stockholm on October 4. The list includes American scientists Moungi Bawendi and Louis Brus, as well as Alexey Ekimov, who is Russian-American.

They received the award for their groundbreaking work in developing a technique for producing quantum dots.

Quantum dots are minuscule nanoparticles with quantum phenomena behavior. Their most renowned application is in the field of electronics, where quantum dots can substitute for the conventional light-up material (phosphor) used in electronic displays.

Swedish media outlets broke the news on the morning of October 4 that the Royal Academy of Sciences had inadvertently leaked the names of potential Nobel laureates in chemistry via email several hours ahead of the official announcement. The list in question featured the names of Bawendi, Brus, and Ekimov.  However, the Royal Academy of Sciences swiftly clarified that the final decision regarding the award recipients had not been concluded, emphasizing the need to await the forthcoming official announcement.

The previous Russian Nobel laureate was Novaya Gazeta editor-in-chief Dmitry Muratov, who was awarded the Peace Prize in 2021. In the scientific disciplines, Russia celebrated a Nobel Prize win in 2010 when Konstantin Novoselov, in collaboration with Andre Geim, secured the Nobel in physics for their research on graphene.

You Might Also Like

Nobel Flip Flop
  • September 04, 2023

Nobel Flip Flop

The Nobel Foundation canceled Russia’s invitation to the annual awards ceremony in Stockholm.
A Nobel Donation
  • June 28, 2022

A Nobel Donation

The 2021 Russian Nobel Peace Prize winner auctioned his medal off to help displaced Ukrainian children.
Good and Evil Revealed
  • March 28, 2022

Good and Evil Revealed

"This whole situation has clearly revealed good and evil." A powerful interview with Nobel laureate Dmitry Muratov, whose Novaya Gazeta newspaper suspended publication today.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

White Magic
June 01, 2021

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955