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Losing the Nobel Prize

A Story of Cosmology, Ambition, and the Perils of Science's Highest Honor

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Losing the Nobel Prize

By: Brian Keating
Narrated by: Stephen R. Thorne
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About this listen

What would it have been like to be an eyewitness to the Big Bang? In 2014, astronomers wielding BICEP2, the most powerful cosmology telescope ever made, revealed that they'd glimpsed the spark that ignited the Big Bang. Millions around the world tuned in to the announcement broadcast live from Harvard University, immediately igniting rumors of an imminent Nobel Prize. But had these cosmologists truly read the cosmic prologue or, swept up in Nobel dreams, had they been deceived by a galactic mirage?

In Losing the Nobel Prize, cosmologist and inventor of the BICEP (Background Imaging of Cosmic Extragalactic Polarization) experiment Brian Keating tells the inside story of BICEP2's mesmerizing discovery and the scientific drama that ensued. In an adventure story that spans the globe from Rhode Island to the South Pole, from California to Chile, Keating takes us on a personal journey of revelation and discovery, bringing to vivid life the highly competitive, take-no-prisoners, publish-or-perish world of modern science. Along the way, he provocatively argues that the Nobel Prize, instead of advancing scientific progress, may actually hamper it, encouraging speed and greed while punishing collaboration and bold innovation.

©2018 Brian Keating (P)2018 Tantor Astronomy Astronomy & Space Science Cosmology History & Philosophy Philosophy Physics Science String Theory Black Hole Thought-Provoking

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I loved it. Keating of course is a brilliant scientific but also a very good writer. It was full of fine tuned sentences with carefully and beautifully chosen words. This book can be devided in 3 chapters; a memoir, a scientific review of the cosmology field, and a sharp criticism on the Nobel prize. Despite the fact that the subjects are scattered somewhat randomly throughout the book, I enjoyed listening to it. It made me angry, emotional, happy, and above all thought me things. Thank you Keating!

A passionate scientific self review

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This book gives a good account of the competition to find evifence to support the theory of cosmological inflation. It clearly shows how the fight for resources to support your research leads to an environment where publishing first is prized above correctness.

I cant help feeling that the author's obsession with the Nobel prize is unhealthy and unnatural. As a scientist you would like to discover a new law, theory or type of object which will carry your name down the centuries. That is the ultimate goal and of course satisying your own curiosity into how it all works. The Nobel may guarantee you immediate fame and funding but in the longer term it doesnt do a great deal for your eternal renown.

Interesting book about the pursuit of modern astronomy

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This book is several stories in one. First of all, it's about the Nobel Prize; secondly, it's about the work that Brian Keating did that may have won him the price (in one of his multiverses) and thirdly it's a mini autobiography, and fourthly there's a lot of background material about the discovery of the CMB and inflation. The theme I suppose is how the Nobel Prize by its very existence is skewing physics in how it is conducted, and having a different influence from what its creator ever intended. There's a lot of competing themes there and there is also a lot of frustration I suspect at having made the wrong decisions. He doesn't quite say that the Nobel Prize has ruined his life and his career but the implication is that it's taken the shine off them. Is it any good? The best thing for me is an honest description of how science works and the collaboration and competition between teams. I do have some sympathy with his frustration about the prize but if he really wanted to write about that he should have less of his work and more of the history of the winners and should be winners than he does.

A multiverse of a book

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Dr. Keating’s Losing the Nobel Prize is an exceptional blend of personal narrative and scientific exploration that captivated me from the first chapter.

This book is more than a memoir it’s an unfiltered glimpse into the human side of science, the emotions, ambitions, and sacrifices behind the pursuit of one of the world’s most prestigious accolades.

Dr. Keating eloquently navigates his own journey while shedding light on the fierce competition and immense pressure within the physics community. His reflections on the culture of science, the challenges of collaboration, and the sometimes ruthless nature of academia offer insights that are both sobering and inspiring.

What sets this book apart is its balance of deep scientific discourse and relatable human experience. You don’t need a PhD to appreciate it Dr. Keating writes with clarity and passion that make even the most complex ideas accessible.

This isn’t just a book for physicists or Nobel enthusiasts; it’s for anyone who values perseverance, integrity, and the pursuit of truth. I came away with a newfound respect for the people behind groundbreaking discoveries and the challenges they face. Highly recommend!

A Profound and Humanizing Journey Behind the Nobel Prize

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The science parts are good, rest is just a big cope. Also the religious and personal story lines are pure cringe...

Cringe, cope and some good science parts

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There are three or four strands that run through this book; an overview of discoveries and debates over the centuries, the authors involvement in Bicep, Bicep 2, and Polar Bear observations, criticism of the structure of the Nobel selection, along with some other minor issues.

Personally I found it not only messy but largely underwhelming. There are better histories of scientific discoveries over the ages and their implications. I’d have preferred a focus on the methodology, process, and trials of observational science in the experiments but maybe he was more of a bit player than he makes out.

Either way, sorry to say there are better science books out there.

Messy

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