The Nobel Laureates

  In one of my previous research labs, we placed several orders with Indian vendors for specialized scientific systems. The delivery was promised within a few months. It has now been years, and some systems are still not fully functional, while others have not been delivered at all. The issue wasn’t just technical. It was poor project management, weak communication, unclear responsibility, and a lack of people who truly understood how critical timelines and reliability are in real research. This poor experience made me reflect on a bigger problem. India has the talent to be a global scientific powerhouse, yet when it comes to building the high-end instruments that modern science depends on, we still rely heavily on imports. The global scientific instruments market is $50–60B today, heading toward $80–100B by 2030. India alone is a $3–5B annual market. But for tools like #XRD , #EQE , #IQE , #SEM / #TEM , #Raman , #MBE , and many more advanced analytical systems, over 90% are...

A recent  Article on "Progress and perspectives on accelerated degradation modeling of perovskite solar cells" was published in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews! 🌞💡 The article underscores the importance of comprehensive accelerated degradation models to accurately predict Perovskite solar cell stability and degradation kinetics under real-world conditions. Additionally, it addresses the remaining challenges in modeling degradation and identifies the figures of merit that can be derived from device degradation data. The work aims to inspire researchers to pursue this exciting, unexplored field so that a universal degradation scheme for Perovskite solar cells can be formulated. Read the full article here in the link- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2025.116173

  Interested in #GaN optoelectronics — sharing a recent work published in Elsevier Physica B. In this study, the authors looked at how 100 MeV Si ion irradiation affects MBE-grown GaN thin films, particularly focusing on the evolution of microstructural strain and the resulting changes in optoelectronic behaviour. The experiments were carried out at the Inter-University Accelerator Centre (IUAC) and the results offer useful insights into how irradiation can be used to tune material properties. You can read the paper here: https://lnkd.in/dJ8xE35E

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M. Yaghi “for the development of metal–organic frameworks.” The 2025 Nobel Prize laureates in chemistry have created molecular constructions with large spaces through which gases and other chemicals can flow. These constructions, metal–organic frameworks, can be used to harvest water from desert air, capture carbon dioxide, store toxic gases, or catalyse chemical reactions. Kitagawa, Robson, and Yaghi have developed a new form of molecular architecture. In their structures, metal ions serve as cornerstones linked by long organic (carbon-based) molecules. Together, the metal ions and molecules are organised to form crystals that contain large cavities. These porous materials are called metal–organic frameworks (MOF). By varying the building blocks used in the MOFs, chemists can design them to capture and store specific substances. MOFs can also driv...

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the Nobel Prize in Physics 2025 to John Clarke University of California, Berkeley, USA Michel H. Devoret Yale University, New Haven, CT and University of California, Santa Barbara, USA John M. Martinis University of California, Santa Barbara, USA “for the discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantisation in an electric circuit” Their experiments on a chip revealed quantum physics in action More info. Nobelprize.org

 This year's Nobel Prizes in science celebrate remarkable discoveries transforming our understanding of everything from gene regulation to artificial intelligence. Here's a closer look at the groundbreaking work recognized in physiology or medicine, physics, and chemistry, which has redefined the scientific landscape profoundly. Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine: Cracking the Code of Gene Regulation with MicroRNA The Nobel in Physiology or Medicine went to Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for their discovery of microRNA , tiny yet powerful strands of RNA that don't make proteins but act as vital gene regulators. Conducted initially on worms, their work revealed that microRNAs play a crucial role in turning genes on and off across all complex life forms, fundamentally altering how organisms develop and function. By understanding this mechanism, researchers are exploring potential treatments for diseases like cancer, where controlling gene expression could prevent or slow ...

 Kip Thorne, born June 1, 1940, is an American theoretical physicist best recognized for his contributions to gravitational physics and astrophysics. He is most known for his theoretical predictions and analyses of black holes and gravitational waves. Thorne acquired his Bachelor of Science degree in 1962 from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and his Ph.D. in 1965 from Princeton University. He subsequently returned to Caltech, where he became a theoretical physics professor and stayed for the rest of his academic career. Thorne's work with fellow physicists Stephen Hawking and Roger Penrose in developing the laws regulating black holes was one of his most significant accomplishments. They collaborated to create the framework of general relativity in order to comprehend the nature and properties of black holes. Their findings demonstrated that black holes had event horizons and may generate thermal radiation, which is now known as Hawking radiation. Thorne has made s...

 Hargobind Khurana was a scientist of Indian origin who made substantial discoveries in genetics and molecular biology. He was born on January 9, 1922, in Raipur, Punjab, British India (now Pakistan), and died on November 9, 2011, in Concord, Massachusetts. Khorana is well known for his seminal work on the interpretation of the genetic code and nucleic acid synthesis, for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1968. Khorana shared the Nobel Prize with Robert W. Holley and Marshall W. Nirenberg for their discovery of how the arrangement of nucleotides in nucleic acids regulates protein production in cells. This research helped us grasp how DNA encodes genetic information and how it is translated into proteins. During his work, Khorana achieved substantial advances in DNA chemistry, RNA synthesis, and genetic code decoding. He was instrumental in the creation of the first artificial gene and contributed to our understanding of how cells process genetic informa...

 Niels Bohr (1885-1962) was a Danish physicist who contributed significantly to the study of atomic structure and quantum mechanics. He is most known for developing the Bohr model of the atom, which claimed that electrons circle the nucleus in certain energy levels or shells. Bohr's atomic model was a key advance in physics, helping to explain a variety of phenomena such as atomic spectra and atomic stability. His model included the idea of quantized energy levels, which asserted that electrons may only occupy defined orbits around the nucleus and can transition between these levels by absorbing or releasing photons. One of Bohr's most notable contributions was the formulation of the notion known as complementarity during the 1920s. The concept of complementarity states that in some studies, particles display both wave-like and particle-like behavior, but not simultaneously. This idea became a cornerstone of quantum physics and had a significant impact on philosophical understa...

 M. Stanley Whittingham is a well-known scientist and researcher who has made significant contributions to the creation of lithium-ion batteries. He was born in the United Kingdom on December 22, 1941. Whittingham's seminal work on rechargeable lithium batteries began in the 1970s, while he was employed with Exxon Research and Engineering Company. His study concentrated on developing a high-energy-density battery that could effectively store and discharge electrical energy. Whittingham's research resulted in the discovery of intercalation, a technique that allows lithium ions to be introduced and withdrawn from the atomic layers of specific materials. This breakthrough paved the way for the creation of lithium-ion batteries. Whittingham was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2019 along with John B. Goodenough and Akira Yoshino in appreciation of his pioneering achievements. The Nobel Committee recognized their efforts in developing lithium-ion batteries, which have revolut...

 Ernest Rutherford, better known as Lord Rutherford of Nelson, was a well-known New Zealand physicist. He is widely considered as one of the best nuclear physics experimenters of all time. Rutherford contributed significantly to our understanding of atomic structure and radioactivity. Rutherford presented the Rutherford model of the atom in 1911, which stated that the atom contains a tiny, compact, positively charged nucleus at its center, with electrons surrounding it. This concept transformed the conventional view of the atom and established the groundwork for the creation of the current atomic theory. Rutherford is also famed for his gold foil experiment, which he carried out in 1909. Rutherford and his colleagues attacked a thin sheet of gold foil with alpha particles and examined the scattering patterns. Rutherford concluded from the surprising results that atoms possess a concentrated, positively charged nucleus that comprises just a small proportion of the atomic volume. ...