How the Nobel Prizes Miss A Lot of Good Science and Diverse Scientists

To win a Nobel Prize is a career-defining achievement for a scientist. But they’re only awarded in three scientific fields –physics, chemistry, and medicine. And only three people can share each prize. Plant biologist Devang Mehta can’t win a Nobel because there’s not one for biology. That’s silly, he says. Furthermore, he says the structure of the prizes perpetuates myths about how science works and reinforces disparities: it’s very, very rare for a woman or person of color to win a scientific Nobel Prize. Mehta wrote an essay about all of this several years ago for the website Massive Science and every year around this time – when the Nobel Prizes are awarded – it gets new attention. (Segment produced by James Hoopes.) (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)