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Nobel Prize Stories by High School Students. Dr. Martin Karplus, Dr. Michael Levitt, Dr. Arieh Warshel- Understanding the Complex Biological System — Chemistry 2013.
(This article is a summary of the full-length article Authored by Ms. Ruhuka Nene, Pune, India. It’s one of the 14 Chapters written by high school students and published in the PATH TO NOBEL book).
The book can be purchased at -https://www.afhdusa.org/item/5/path-to-nobel
This chapter provides a comprehensive account of the scientific journey of Dr. Martin Karplus, Dr. Michael Levitt, and Dr. Arieh Warshel, the trio who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2013. The text delves into their early life, education, and the path that led them to their groundbreaking work in simulating chemical reactions on computers.
The text also provides an in-depth look at their individual journeys, their collaborations, and the challenges they faced in their research.
Dr. Martin Karplus, Dr. Michael Levitt, and Dr. Arieh Warshel’s work have revolutionized the field of chemistry. They developed a computer program that could simulate complex chemical reactions, overcoming the limitations of classical physics and quantum physics. This was a significant breakthrough as it allowed scientists to study molecules, their transformations, and how they react with other molecules to form various compounds.
Their work was initially met with skepticism, as many scientists believed that such calculations were impossible or would be a waste of time. However, the trio persisted in their research, eventually proving the value of their approach. Their work has paved the way for further advancements in the field, enabling scientists to gain a deeper understanding of chemical reactions at the atomic and molecular levels.
In their interview, the laureates emphasize the importance of computers in scientific research. They argue that computers are not just tools for analysis but also for experimentation. They believe that computers are the best tool for understanding how molecules work and predict that computers will play an increasingly larger role in modeling complex systems in the future.
The laureates also discuss the future of computational research. They believe that computational strategies could be used to fight deadly diseases like HIV by studying how these diseases react to various drugs. They also see potential in the field of genomics, immunology, and cancer research, as most of the information is stored at the cellular level.
It concludes with an interview with the laureates, where they discuss their views on the importance of computers in science and the future of computational research.
