Released 2014-05-09
How big is the universe? And how do you stay grounded when working in the mind-bending field of cosmology? These are questions for George Smoot, awarded the 2006 Nobel Prize in Physics for his explorations of the remnants of the first light emitted by the expanding universe. In this conversation he also talks about how science today is a truly global enterprise, and explains how he ended-up pitting his wits against 10-year-olds in the television game show 'Are you smarter than a fifth grader?'.
Interview with the 2006 Nobel Laureate in Physics, George F. Smoot, at the 58th Meeting of Nobel Laureates in Lindau, Germany, 3 July 2008. The interviewer is Adam Smith, Editor-in-Chief of Nobelprize.org.
George Smoot talks about the tremendous impact the Nobel Prize has had on his life and career, the influence of his parents in nurturing his natural curiosity (4:23), his early interest in cosmic microwave background radiation (8:43), the key questions that have dominated his research (12:51), why he always works on two or three projects at once (16:58), his advice to students starting out in research (22:20), why the challenge of piecing together what happened in the early universe can be likened to crime scene investigations (33:52), how cosmology research is blossoming (44:38), and the questions that young people entering the field should be asking (47:34).
Interview with the 2006 Nobel Laureates in Physics, John C. Mather and George F. Smoot, 6 December 2006. The interviewer is Adam Smith, Editor-in-Chief of Nobelprize.org.
The Nobel Laureates of 2006 met at the Bernadotte Library in Stockholm, 9 December 2006, for the traditional round-table discussion and TV show 'Nobel Minds'. The show was hosted by Sarah Montague, a presenter on the BBC 'Today' programme. The Laureates discuss their achievements, their inspiration and motivation, and also answer questions e-mailed by visitors to BBC.com and Nobelprize.org.
Telephone interview with Professor George F. Smoot immediately following the announcement of the 2006 Nobel Prize in Physics, 3 October 2006. The interviewer is Adam Smith, Editor-in-Chief of Nobelprize.org.
Transcript of the Telephone Interview with George F. Smoot
George F. Smoot
