Roger Penrose

Podcast

Nobel Prize Conversations

“I am very bad at giving up”

Hear Roger Penrose speak about ideas, creativity and what is so special about blackboards. In this conversation, conducted in February 2021, Penrose also shares some stories from his childhood and how he eventually ended up in the field of physics.

The host of this podcast is nobelprize.org’s Adam Smith.

Nobel Prize Conversations was produced with the support of 3M, ABB, Ericsson and Scania.

To cite this section
MLA style: Roger Penrose – Podcast. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Prize Outreach 2025. Fri. 5 Dec 2025. <https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/2020/penrose/podcast/>

Nobel Prizes and laureates

Six prizes were awarded for achievements that have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind. The 14 laureates' work and discoveries range from quantum tunnelling to promoting democratic rights.

See them all presented here.

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Explore prizes and laureates

Look for popular awards and laureates in different fields, and discover the history of the Nobel Prize.