Nobel Prize Conversations
Episodes
First reactions | Peter Howitt, prize in economic sciences 2025 | Telephone interview
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“I’m not one of these people who keeps the phone on, and the champagne in the fridge.” Peter Howitt certainly didn’t seem to be expecting the ...
First reactions | Philippe Aghion, prize in economic sciences 2025 | Telephone interview
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“Peter, Peter, make yourself available, your phone, they’re trying to reach you!” Listen to Philippe Aghion telling Peter Howitt that the Royal ...
First reactions | Joel Mokyr, prize in economic sciences 2025 | Telephone interview
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“I had a whole list of people that I thought were going to win,” says Joel Mokyr, “And I wasn’t on it.” Waking early, he opened up his compu...
First reactions | Michel Devoret, Nobel Prize in Physics 2025 | Telephone interview
10 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“I would say a fundamental discovery really becomes true when you can apply it to something concrete.” In this conversation, recorded after two he...
First reactions | Maria Corina Machado, Nobel Peace Prize 2025 | Telephone interview
10 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“I am just part of a huge movement. I’m humbled, I’m grateful and I’m honoured.” – The announcement of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize came as ...
Finding out the news | Maria Corina Machado, Nobel Peace Prize 2025
10 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“Oh my god… I have no words.” – Listen to the emotional moment this year’s laureate Maria Corina Machado finds out she has been awarded the ...
First reactions | László Krasznahorkai, Nobel Prize in Literature 2025 | Telephone interview
09 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“I’m very proud to be in the line of some really great writers and poets.” In this interview, new literature laureate László Krasznahorka...
First reactions | Susumu Kitagawa, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 | Telephone interview
09 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“This is the mind of the researcher in Japan,” says Susumu Kitagawa, “Don’t switch off the light, even at night.” In this short conversation...
First reactions | Richard Robson, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 | Telephone interview
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“Some people thought it was a whole load of rubbish. But it didn’t turn out that way.” Richard Robson’s new concept for molecular a...
First reactions | Omar Yaghi, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 | Telephone interview
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“I set out to build beautiful things and solve intellectual problems.” Omar Yaghi was just changing flights when he had heard the news that he had...
First reactions | John Martinis, Nobel Prize in Physics 2025 | Telephone interview
07 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“My wife is very kind to me, so she didn’t wake me up for a couple of hours.” John Martinis was sleeping when news of his Nobel Prize in P...
First reactions | Fred Ramsdell, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine | telephone interview
07 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“I was out walking the dogs and she started yelling, and I thought there was a grizzly bear nearby.” Actually, what Fred Ramsdell’s wife was tel...
First reactions | John Clarke, Nobel Prize in Physics 2025 | Telephone interview
07 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“I could not imagine accepting the prize without the two of them,” says John Clarke of his fellow Nobel Prize laureates in physics, John Martinis ...
First reactions | Mary Brunkow, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2025 | Telephone interview
06 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“My phone rang, and I saw a number from Sweden and thought, well that’s just spam of some sort, so I disabled the phone and went back to sleep.”...
First reactions | Shimon Sakaguchi, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2025 | Telephone interview
06 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
"I believe this will encourage immunologists and physicians to apply the T regulatory cells to treat various immunological diseases.” Shimon Sakaguc...
A Time for Celebration: Adam Smith reveals what really gets our laureates celebrating
01 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this special bonus episode of Nobel Prize Conversations, we shine a light on the many ways achievements in science are celebrated — from quiet la...
John Hopfield: Nobel Prize Conversations
09 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“I’ve never been part of the gang. I was a one-man band playing little tunes.” – Meet physics laureate John Hopfield in a podcast recorded at ...
Simon Johnson: Nobel Prize Conversations
02 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
"With the great power to invent technology comes a great responsibility." – In this lively and energetic podcast conversation, economic sciences lau...
Gary Ruvkun: Nobel Prize Conversations
25 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“When we're doing genetics, we are tapping into that mythic power of change.” — In this conversation with molecular biologist Gary Ruvkun, we di...
John Jumper: Nobel Prize Conversations
18 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
”I really love the notion of contributing something to physics.” — Chemistry laureate John Jumper has always been passionate about science and u...
Victor Ambros: Nobel Prize Conversations
11 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“The reason why I was doing science all these years is because I just love doing it.”– Medicine laureate Victor Ambros grew up on a farm with se...
Daron Acemoglu: Nobel Prize Conversations
04 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
"Asking is hard. Once you realise there's an interesting question to develop answers to, it is even harder." – Growing up in Istanbul, Turkey, shape...
David Baker: Nobel Prize Conversations
28 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
"If you imagine each researcher as a kind of a neuron in the communal brain, then people call me a connection machine.” – David Baker is a true be...
James Robinson: Nobel Prize Conversations
21 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
"I just think a book can change your life." 2024 economic sciences laureate James Robinson loves books – he has about 10 000 at home. Growing up wit...
Geoffrey Hinton: Nobel Prize Conversations
14 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
"When we remember, what we're doing is just making up a story that sounds plausible to us. That's what memories are." Join your host Adam Smith as he ...
First reactions | James Robinson, prize in economic sciences 2024 | Telephone interview
14 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“Get up, you need to get up! You’ve won the Nobel Prize.” That’s how James Robinson discovered he was a 2024 economic sciences laureate, as hi...
First reactions | Daron Acemoglu, prize in economic sciences 2024 | Telephone interview
14 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“There’s nothing natural about 30-, 40-, 50- fold differences in income per capita in a globalised, connected world.” Daron Acemoglu, economic s...
First reactions | Simon Johnson, prize in economic sciences 2024 | Telephone interview
14 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“True, genuine, inclusive democracy matters, very clearly.” Simon Johnson, economic sciences laureate 2024, learnt of the award from the congratul...
First reactions | Nihon Hidankyo, Nobel Peace Prize 2024 | Telephone interview
11 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“The dream came true!” The prize came as a big surprise, says Masako Wada, a representative from the Japanese organisation Nihon Hidankyo, which w...
First reactions | Han Kang, Nobel Prize in Literature 2024 | Telephone interview
10 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
”I’m so surprised and honoured.” 2024 literature laureate Han Kang had just finished dinner with her son at her home in Seoul when she received ...
First reactions | David Baker, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2024 | Telephone interview
09 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“I got the phone call and my wife promptly started screaming.” News of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry gave David Baker’s household a very ear...
First reactions | John Jumper, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2024 | Telephone interview
09 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“It’s absolutely extraordinary.” John Jumper had just heard the news of his 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry when he spoke to the Nobel Prize’s A...
First reactions | Demis Hassabis, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2024 | Telephone interview
09 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“The best scientists paired with these kinds of tools will be able to do incredible things.” Demis Hassabis, 2024 Nobel Prize laureate in Chemistr...
First reactions | John Hopfield, Nobel Prize in Physics 2024 | Telephone interview
08 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“You have to build up from the bottom.” In this interview shortly after the announcement, 2024 physics laureate John Hopfield talks about how...
First reactions | Geoffrey Hinton, Nobel Prize in Physics 2024 | Telephone interview
08 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“How could I be sure it wasn’t a spoof call?” 2024 physics laureate Geoffrey Hinton received the phone call from Stockholm at around 2am in a ho...
First reactions | Victor Ambros, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2024 | Telephone interview
07 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“We see it as a celebration of the way of doing science,” says Victor Ambros of his Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. In this call with ...
First reactions | Gary Ruvkun, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2024 | Telephone interview
07 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“I heard what sounded like an authentic call from the Nobel Committee!” New medicine laureate Gary Ruvkun might have received a prank call or two ...
Jon Fosse: Nobel Prize Conversations
17 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is the creative process different in the fields of art, literature and music? In a podcast conversation, literature laureate Jon Fosse speaks about al...
Pierre Agostini: Nobel Prize Conversations
10 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Hear physics laureate Pierre Agostini describe how he found his love of science: ”It was only when I started doing research that I discovered the fu...
Moungi Bawendi: Nobel Prize Conversations
03 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is it possible to 'see' quantum mechanics in action? In a podcast conversation, chemistry laureate Moungi Bawendi speaks about the incredible gratific...
Louis Brus: Nobel Prize Conversations
26 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Some words of wisdom from chemistry laureate Louis Brus: "You recognise opportunity and then you have to take advantage of it. Seize the opp...
Anne L'Huillier: Nobel Prize Conversations
19 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What are the benefits of creating a diverse laboratory? In this podcast episode with physicist Anne L’Huillier, we speak about the importance of div...
Drew Weissman: Nobel Prize Conversations
12 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How can we ensure that knowledge and science are spread globally? Medicine laureate Drew Weissman is an advocate for creating research centres around ...
Claudia Goldin: Nobel Prize Conversations
05 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There are many roads one can take in life. But to what extent will your life choices decide what kind of person you become? In this podcast conversati...
Ferenc Krausz: Nobel Prize Conversations
29 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Meet 2023 physics laureate Ferenc Krausz in conversation with podcast host Adam Smith, as they discuss a scientific journey which has spanned three co...
Katalin Karikó: Nobel Prize Conversations
22 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
"I also thank the people who tried to make my life miserable – because they made me work harder and become more resilient." – Working harder and b...
Mario Molina: Encore presentation of Nobel Prize Talks
29 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"I had decided as a child if it was possible to become a scientist and to do scientific research for a living that's what I wanted to do." – In this...
Jody Williams: Encore presentation of Nobel Prize Talks
22 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
”I have been fortunate to be able to live my life doing what I believe in. Not everybody has that fortune" In this podcast episode, peace activist J...
John Mather: Encore presentation of Nobel Prize Talks
15 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
”I don't think it's my job or anybody's job to try to convince other people of the righteousness of my opinion. I think it's each person's job ...
Robert Shiller: Encore presentation of Nobel Prize Talks
08 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
”Pursuing expertise doggedly can't be the goal for everyone because being specialised means losing some breadth of understanding. We need both kinds...
Barry Marshall: Encore presentation of Nobel Prize Talks
01 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
”I wasn't interested in learning stuff. I was just interested in understanding, because I could see what a fabulous shortcut it always was.” – M...
Alice Munro: Encore presentation of Nobel Prize Talks
25 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
”It's the insight, the work, the way you give yourself to the story that matters.” – We present a heartwarming chat with Canadian ’master of s...
First reactions | Claudia Goldin, prize in economic sciences 2023 | Telephone interview
09 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“I have always thought of myself as a detective,” 2023 economic sciences laureate Claudia Goldin tells the Nobel Prize's Adam Smith when speaking ...
First reactions | Jon Fosse, Nobel Prize in Literature 2023 | Telephone interview
06 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
After the 2023 Nobel Prize in Literature was announced, new laureate Jon Fosse was inundated with messages congratulating him on the award. In this ca...
First reactions | Louis E. Brus, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2023 | Telephone interview
04 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“This is a collaborative effort,” says Louis E. Brus when asked for his first reaction to the award of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, “partl...
First reactions | Alexei Ekimov, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2023 | Telephone interview
04 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“It’s the middle of the night here!” Alexei Ekimov’s first reaction to hearing the news of his 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was reasonable en...
First reactions | Moungi Bawendi, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2023 | Telephone interview
04 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“I’m supposed to teach at 9 this morning,” say Moungi Bawendi in this call recorded in the early morning, just after the news of his 2023 Nobel ...
First reactions | Pierre Agostini, Nobel Prize in Physics 2023 | Telephone interview
03 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“My daughter called me asking, ‘Is that true, I see it on Google?’” That was how Pierre Agostini found out he had been awarded the 2023 Nobel ...
First reactions | Anne L’Huillier, Nobel Prize in Physics 2023 | Telephone interview
03 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In what was surely understatement, 2023 physics laureate Anne L’Huillier described herself as “A little bit busy” when the Nobel Prize’s Adam ...
First reactions | Ferenc Krausz, Nobel Prize in Physics 2023 | Telephone interview
03 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ferenc Krausz was preparing to give lab tours at his Institute when a call from Stockholm reached him at home. “I was not sure whether I was dreamin...
First reactions | Drew Weissman, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2023 | Telephone interview
02 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“We weren’t sure it was true!” Drew Weissman’s research partner and co-laureate Katalin Karikó called him early this morning with some incred...
First reactions | Katalin Karikó, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2023 | Telephone interview
02 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The call from Stockholm woke Katalin Karikó at her home outside Philadelphia. Initially in disbelief, in this interview with Adam Smith, recorded soo...
Behind the scenes: Adam Smith presents more October interviews with the new Nobel Prize laureates
27 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Each year in October, Adam Smith takes on the challenge of reaching the brand new Nobel Prize laureates for a telephone interview. In this new bonus e...
Barry Sharpless: Nobel Prize Conversations
21 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“If you're interested in something, you'd be amazed what interest can do.” – So says Barry Sharpless, the only living individual that has been a...
Anton Zeilinger: Nobel Prize Conversations
14 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
”You have to reinvent yourself every couple of years. It's absolutely important. It's necessary for me to make my life interesting. Life is too shor...
Alain Aspect: Nobel Prize Conversations
07 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"I settled a debate between Bohr and Einstein – which is not bad!" – Meet physicist and 2022 Nobel Prize laureate Alain Aspect, who speaks of his ...
Ben Bernanke: Nobel Prize Conversations
01 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“As an economist, I'm looking at that number and trying to think about how it fits into a broader economic picture. But on the other hand, having gr...
Svante Pääbo: Nobel Prize Conversations
24 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"The first thing I did to see if it at all would have a chance was to buy a piece of liver in the food store close to the Institute and just dry it in...
Philip Dybvig: Nobel Prize Conversations
17 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
”I was just curious about everything. Everything was interesting and I always felt like I didn't have enough time to learn all the interesting thing...
Carolyn Bertozzi: Nobel Prize Conversations
10 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“Your purpose as a scientist is not to achieve fame or money, that is not your purpose, those might be side effects and good for you, that could be ...
Douglas Diamond: Nobel Prize Conversations
03 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“I think economics is getting closer and closer to being a respectable science. Even when we were not the most respectable science, we still needed ...
Morten Meldal: Nobel Prize Conversations
26 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“My daughter was sitting on the second or third row and I could see that she was crying. And tears actually are contagious. So I was almost crying w...
Leymah Gbowee: Encore presentation of Nobel Prize Conversations
23 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"One minute I was a teenager and the next minute I was a woman.” – Leymah Gbowee shares her heartbreaking life story of a happy childhood cruelly ...
Roger Penrose: Encore presentation of Nobel Prize Conversations
16 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
“I am very bad at giving up.” – Get to know one of the greatest minds of today, physicist Roger Penrose. Even beyond his 90th birthday he seems ...
Emmanuelle Charpentier: Encore presentation of Nobel Prize Conversations
09 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"It's a mixture of obsession, passion, and a sense that this is my mission." In this episode we hear 2020 chemistry laureate Emmanuelle Charpentier sp...
Richard Thaler: Encore presentation of Nobel Prize Conversations
02 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Nudges, sludges, and the connection between stubbornness and success. Join us for this encore presentation of our first episode of Nobel Prize Convers...
Andrea Ghez: Encore presentation of Nobel Prize Conversations
26 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meet astrophysicist Andrea Ghez, recipient of the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics "for the discovery of a supermassive compact object at the centre of our...
Kip Thorne: Encore presentation of Nobel Prize Conversations
19 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What costs a billion dollars and takes 50 years to build and perfect? LIGO: A machine to detect gravitational waves. In this encore presentation ...
First reactions | Ben Bernanke, prize in economic sciences 2022 | Telephone interview
11 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
“What we’re talking about here is credit.” — In this conversation, recorded the day after the announcement from Stockholm, Ben Bernanke stress...
First reactions | Philip Dybvig, prize in economic sciences 2022 | Telephone interview
10 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
“When I woke up I had what seemed like thousands of messages” — Philip Dybvig’s phone was on silent, so he missed the call from Stockholm. Whe...
First reactions | Douglas Diamond, prize in economic sciences 2022 | Telephone interview
10 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
“There are very few people in the world I’d rather be sitting next to when discussing these issues” — In this interview recorded just after th...
First reactions | Oleksandra Matviychuk, Nobel Peace Prize 2022 | Telephone interview
08 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
“Common people have a much greater impact than they can even imagine” — When asked what brings her hope, Oleksandra Matviychuk replies, “Ordin...
The Call from Oslo to Center for Civil Liberties, 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureate
07 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"It is incredible" — Before the public announcement of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize Olav Njølstad, Secretary of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, called...
First reactions | Barry Sharpless, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2022 | Telephone interview
05 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
“You should be drawn to uncertainty” — Barry Sharpless quotes Einstein when asked about his daring approach to choosing problems: “If at first...
First reactions | Carolyn Bertozzi, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2022 | Telephone interview
05 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
“When the world is in trouble, chemistry comes to the rescue” - As just illustrated by the Covid pandemic, says Carolyn Bertozzi, “Chemistry is ...
First reactions | Morten Meldal, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2022 | Telephone interview
05 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
“Reality is much more complex than we, as chemists, are able to imagine” — In the call recorded just after he had heard that he had been awarded...
First reactions | John Clauser, Nobel Prize in Physics 2022 | Telephone interview
04 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
“What a waste of time, now start doing some real physics!” – As a young man, John Clauser set out to topple quantum mechanics, but all his facul...
First reactions | Anton Zeilinger, Nobel Prize in Physics 2022 | Telephone interview
04 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
“It’s probably one of the most beautiful theories ever invented.” – Anton Zeilinger conveys his love for the elegant simplicity of quantum mec...
First reactions | Alain Aspect, Nobel Prize in Physics 2022 | Telephone interview
04 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
“The conclusion is, yes, quantum mechanics resists all possible attacks!” — Alain Aspect was trying to find the limit of quantum mechanics, but,...
First reactions | Svante Pääbo, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2022 | Telephone interview
03 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
“There were almost always other types of humans around.” In this telephone conversation recorded just after he had heard news of the award of his ...
Laureate origin stories: Adam Smith explores what factors make a Nobel Prize laureate
28 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How do you make a Nobel Prize laureate? In this special bonus episode of Nobel Prize Conversations, we explore the origin stories of these remarkable ...
Maria Ressa: Nobel Prize Conversations
07 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"We must get up, we must work like maniacs – because time is running out." Maria Ressa speaks passionately as she discusses how authoritarians explo...
Abdulrazak Gurnah: Nobel Prize Conversations
29 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Abdulrazak Gurnah is the author of ten novels and an emeritus professor of English and postcolonial literatures at the university of Kent. He has been...
Guido Imbens: Nobel Prize Conversations
22 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In an increasingly chaotic world, how can you learn to concentrate deeply on a single problem? Economic Sciences laureate Guido Imbens foun...
Hartmut Michel: Nobel Prize Conversations
15 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"If somebody tells me 'this is impossible', I always think that it still might be possible – and try to find a way around." Where would the world be...
David Julius: Nobel Prize Conversations
08 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"I didn't really like school very much. And I was always like a little bit nervous about not doing well." David Julius, the 2021 physiology or medicin...
Benjamin List: Nobel Prize Conversations
01 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"Try to follow your enthusiasm and do what you are really passionate about and what you really love to do.” As a child, Benjamin List thought chemis...
David Card: Nobel Prize Conversations
25 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
”An amazing number of economists have extremely paternalistic ideas. They just want to tell people what to do.” Don't worry. David Card, 2021 laur...
Giorgio Parisi: Nobel Prize Conversations
18 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Some people manage to retain the relentless curiosity of a child into adulthood, keeping them on a constant quest of exploration. Meet Giorgio Parisi,...
Joshua Angrist: Nobel Prize Conversations
11 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meet economist Joshua Angrist who believes that to be a good labour economist, you should have had some real-life job experience. In conversation with...