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| Nobel prize in chemistry awarded for development of lithium-ion batteries – as it happened | |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| And there we leave the chemistry prize for another year. Huge congratulations go to John Goodenough, Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino for the development of lithium-ion batteries. | |
| Here is my colleague Nicola Davis’s news story on the prize: | |
| Nobel prize in chemistry awarded for work on lithium-ion batteries | |
| My Guardian colleagues will be covering the two Literature Prize announcements (2018 and 2019), which will be tomorrow from 12 noon UK time. | |
| More reaction from Royal Society President Venki Ramakrishnan: | |
| “Professor Goodenough’s contributions in the field of materials science have fundamentally shaped the technology we take for granted today. From powering the smartphone in your pocket, to his defining work on the properties of magnetism, these contributions have opened new avenues for scientific investigation and engineering. | |
| “The cathode he developed for the lithium ion battery built on the work of his fellow laureate Professor Whittingham, and was made commercially viable by the work of Professor Yoshino. Scientific breakthroughs are rarely – if ever – a solo endeavour and it is absolutely fitting that this year’s Nobel Prize for Chemistry should be shared in this way. | |
| “I look forward to celebrating with John in person when he picks up his Copley Award at the Society this evening.” | |
| I was advised to Google “John Goodenough laugh” - apparently he is renowned for having a laugh that can be heard several rooms away. I can confirm it is truly infectious. | |
| Prof David also told me that Goodenough still goes to the lab every day at the age of 97. That’s dedication and passion for you. | Prof David also told me that Goodenough still goes to the lab every day at the age of 97. That’s dedication and passion for you. |
| I’ve just spoken to Prof Bill David, a former student of John Goodenough, who worked for him in Oxford. He is due to have afternoon tea at the Royal Society with Goodenough and two other chemists this afternoon - he says noone has cancelled yet so as far as he’s concerned it’s going ahead. He had some wonderful comments about his former boss. | I’ve just spoken to Prof Bill David, a former student of John Goodenough, who worked for him in Oxford. He is due to have afternoon tea at the Royal Society with Goodenough and two other chemists this afternoon - he says noone has cancelled yet so as far as he’s concerned it’s going ahead. He had some wonderful comments about his former boss. |
| “He’s just the best of people. He took me on when I was a young lad, 25, I hadn’t even finished my doctorate. He has an amazing mind, encyclopaedic in terms of his knowledge.” | “He’s just the best of people. He took me on when I was a young lad, 25, I hadn’t even finished my doctorate. He has an amazing mind, encyclopaedic in terms of his knowledge.” |
| David said that Goodenough’s move into battery science was “rational” and conscious prompted by the 1970s oil crisis. | David said that Goodenough’s move into battery science was “rational” and conscious prompted by the 1970s oil crisis. |
| “He made the positive decision to get involved with [battery] research,” he says. | “He made the positive decision to get involved with [battery] research,” he says. |
| “He has genius combined with a passionate desire to make a positive contribution to humanity. He’s a very principled man.” | “He has genius combined with a passionate desire to make a positive contribution to humanity. He’s a very principled man.” |
| If you’ve just realised that you’re not up to speed on battery technology and what it means for the environment, we ran this useful briefing in January with everything you need to know | If you’ve just realised that you’re not up to speed on battery technology and what it means for the environment, we ran this useful briefing in January with everything you need to know |
| Ion age: why the future will be battery powered | Ion age: why the future will be battery powered |
| Here are the official citations for this year’s winners: | Here are the official citations for this year’s winners: |
| The 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry are awarded to John Goodenough, M. Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino “for the development of lithium-ion batteries”. Through their work, they have created the right conditions for a wireless and fossil fuel-free society, and so brought the greatest benefit to humankind. | The 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry are awarded to John Goodenough, M. Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino “for the development of lithium-ion batteries”. Through their work, they have created the right conditions for a wireless and fossil fuel-free society, and so brought the greatest benefit to humankind. |
| I’ve just been told that John Goodenough is not in Texas, as I suggested earlier, but is actually in London to have dinner at the Royal Society this evening. He’s there to receive to Copley Medal, the world’s oldest scientific prize. Perfect place for a Nobel night out! | I’ve just been told that John Goodenough is not in Texas, as I suggested earlier, but is actually in London to have dinner at the Royal Society this evening. He’s there to receive to Copley Medal, the world’s oldest scientific prize. Perfect place for a Nobel night out! |
| Nobel prizes are awarded for science that is deemed to “have conferred the greatest benefit on humankind”. This can be interpreted in a fairly liberal way: sometimes the benefit is pure intellectual enrichment. The benefits of this year’s chemistry prize are very tangible. They have driven a technological revolution and, according to the Nobel committee, can also be viewed as a green technology. “The importance of this technology for a more sustainable world has increased its relevance in recent times which makes it a more timely award now,” says Hansson. | Nobel prizes are awarded for science that is deemed to “have conferred the greatest benefit on humankind”. This can be interpreted in a fairly liberal way: sometimes the benefit is pure intellectual enrichment. The benefits of this year’s chemistry prize are very tangible. They have driven a technological revolution and, according to the Nobel committee, can also be viewed as a green technology. “The importance of this technology for a more sustainable world has increased its relevance in recent times which makes it a more timely award now,” says Hansson. |
| If you missed the announcement... here it is again | If you missed the announcement... here it is again |
| Watch the very moment the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry is announced.Presented by Göran K. Hansson, Secretary General of The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.#NobelPrize pic.twitter.com/PM8X2S3Zy4 | Watch the very moment the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry is announced.Presented by Göran K. Hansson, Secretary General of The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.#NobelPrize pic.twitter.com/PM8X2S3Zy4 |
| In this interview with John Goodenough in June, he revealed he’s still working on batteries and hopes to see his final PhD student graduate (if you’re that student, do get in touch!). | In this interview with John Goodenough in June, he revealed he’s still working on batteries and hopes to see his final PhD student graduate (if you’re that student, do get in touch!). |
| He said: “I don’t know when I’ll be taken. But I suppose it’ll be one of these days soon. At my age I don’t take someone on who is going to do a four-year PhD stint. My last student is a pretty good boy. I plan to see him graduate. That’s my plan. But of course I’m not in control. I live day by day, that’s all I can do.” | He said: “I don’t know when I’ll be taken. But I suppose it’ll be one of these days soon. At my age I don’t take someone on who is going to do a four-year PhD stint. My last student is a pretty good boy. I plan to see him graduate. That’s my plan. But of course I’m not in control. I live day by day, that’s all I can do.” |
| This year’s prize is clearly one that people have been expecting for a long time - but were this year’s winners surprised? A journalist at the press briefing if any of the laureates said “Finally!” when they got the phone call this morning. “None of them used the word ‘finally’,” Hansson says. “They were delighted. I don’t know whether they had been waiting for the news for years.” | This year’s prize is clearly one that people have been expecting for a long time - but were this year’s winners surprised? A journalist at the press briefing if any of the laureates said “Finally!” when they got the phone call this morning. “None of them used the word ‘finally’,” Hansson says. “They were delighted. I don’t know whether they had been waiting for the news for years.” |
| He says they managed to get through to Yoshino, in Japan, and Whittingham, who is normally based in New York, but is in Europe this week for a conference. | He says they managed to get through to Yoshino, in Japan, and Whittingham, who is normally based in New York, but is in Europe this week for a conference. |
| And here’s Prof Saiful Islam, of Bath University: | And here’s Prof Saiful Islam, of Bath University: |
| “I’m delighted that John B Goodenough, M Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino have been awarded the chemistry Nobel prize for the development of lithium-ion batteries which have power the portable revolution and will play a big part in next-generation electric vehicles.In my view, this award is long overdue and it’s great to see that this important area of materials chemistry has been recognised.” | “I’m delighted that John B Goodenough, M Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino have been awarded the chemistry Nobel prize for the development of lithium-ion batteries which have power the portable revolution and will play a big part in next-generation electric vehicles.In my view, this award is long overdue and it’s great to see that this important area of materials chemistry has been recognised.” |
| I’m getting some reaction in from the scientific world... Here’s Prof Mark Miodownik, a materials scientist from University College London: | I’m getting some reaction in from the scientific world... Here’s Prof Mark Miodownik, a materials scientist from University College London: |
| “I’m so glad lithium-ion batteries finally recognised! They are one of the most influential pieces of materials science that influence the modern life of everyone on the planet. It remarkable too that although 30 years old, they have not been eclipsed by a better battery technology even now, which makes you realise what a remarkable discovery they are.” | “I’m so glad lithium-ion batteries finally recognised! They are one of the most influential pieces of materials science that influence the modern life of everyone on the planet. It remarkable too that although 30 years old, they have not been eclipsed by a better battery technology even now, which makes you realise what a remarkable discovery they are.” |
| Nobel committee say they haven’t yet been able to reach John Goodenough with the good news. It’s currently 5am in Texas, where he is based. | Nobel committee say they haven’t yet been able to reach John Goodenough with the good news. It’s currently 5am in Texas, where he is based. |
| Yoshino says it was “amazing” to get the call. Man of few words. Apparently he sounded happy when he received the call though. | Yoshino says it was “amazing” to get the call. Man of few words. Apparently he sounded happy when he received the call though. |