Artificial intelligence is successfully deciphering a variety of natural languages one by one.
Demis Hassabis, John Jumper, and David Baker made history in 2024 when they were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. The trio, who hail from interdisciplinary fields, were recognised for their groundbreaking work in artificial intelligence (AI) and its application to predicting protein structures.
At 48 years old, Demis Hassabis is a computer scientist who had never worked in a chemistry lab prior to winning the prestigious award. Alongside John Jumper, they developed the AI program AlphaFold, which can predict protein structures with remarkable accuracy. This breakthrough revolutionised structural biology and chemistry, providing detailed molecular structures essential for chemical understanding of proteins.
John Jumper, who earned a Ph.D. in chemistry after studying physics and math, bridged both disciplines. His expertise in computer science and AI enabled this innovation, even though his formal background was not purely in chemistry.
David Baker, the co-recipient of the other half of the prize, is an American biochemist who worked on experimentally and computationally understanding protein design and folding. His background fits more traditionally within chemistry-related fields.
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded for contributions to the development of AI methods for the prediction of protein structures. This recognition highlights that the prize can be awarded to scientists who contribute fundamentally to chemical science from fields like computer science or biochemistry, especially when their work addresses core chemical processes such as protein structure prediction.
The AI methods developed by Hassabis, Jumper, and Baker have significant implications for scientific research and understanding. They are used for deciphering ancient scripts, understanding human thoughts, and potentially translating the language of animals.
It's important to note that the specific methods used by AI to decipher protein structures or develop new materials remain unknown. However, the impact of this work on chemistry and related fields is undeniable.
In other news, NZZ.ch, a Swiss online newspaper, requires users to adjust their browser settings or disable ad blockers for its important functions to work properly, as it relies on JavaScript execution.
References: [1] NZZ.ch - Adjusting Browser Settings or Ad Blocker is Necessary for NZZ.ch to Function Properly. [2] The Guardian - Demis Hassabis, John Jumper, and David Baker Win Nobel Prize in Chemistry for AI Breakthrough. [3] BBC News - Demis Hassabis, John Jumper, and David Baker: The Computer Scientists and Biochemist who Predicted Protein Structures. [4] Science - The AI Revolution in Protein Structure Prediction: A look at AlphaFold and its Impact on Biochemistry.
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