I am extrmely delighted the 2010 Nobel Prize for physics has been awarded to two of my subjects, Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, at the University of Manchester for their pioneering work on graphene.
Graphene, an atom-thick form of carbon, is both the thinnest and strongest material known, almost completely transparent, yet so dense that not even the smallest gas atom can pass through it. Graphene will lead to the development of new material and the manufacture of innovative electronics. Since it is transparent and a good conductor, graphene is suitable for producing transparent touch screens, light panels, and solar cells.
Novoselov is one of the youngest Nobel Laureates for physics ever. In 1973, my subject Brian David Josephson shared the prize at the age of 33. Geim did not expect to win the award this year, and he went back to work today, without changes in today's schedule! Previously, Geim was awarded an Ig Nobel award, an American humorous science prize, in 2000 for having conducted research into diamagnetic levitation, which resulted in levitating a frog!
Basil Venitis points out the cancer of socialism has reached the ridiculous stage where the only money available for scientific research is government money. Taxation is destroying private resources, while government money is flooding and taking over research. In these conditions, a scientist is morally justified in accepting government grants, so long as he opposes all forms of socialism. A scientist does not have to add self-martyrdom to the injustices he suffers.
Venitis asserts government research grants should have no strings attached by kleptocrats, no controls over the scientist's intellectual freedom. If kleptocrats attempt to control the scientific or political views of the recipients of grants, that will be the time for scientists of integrity to quit. At present, they are still free to work, but they should be on guard against socialistic pressures to conform.
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