How did a computer scientist such as Geoffrey Hinton manage to win a Nobel Prize in physics when computer science already has its own Nobel Prize equivalent in the Turing Awards?

^* Fibiger got the 1926 Medicine prize for the discovery of Spiroptera carcinoma (Don’t ask).

"Good point, I'm sure we can swing it. And let's tack on Hopfield while we're about it."

Fortunately, we are privy to the discussion that led up to this:

SpaceX launches Sirius XM radio satellite to orbit, lands rocket on ship at sea (photos) - Space

Whatever.

Why wait any longer for the world to begin?

Why wait any longer for the one you love?

Asian Shares Have Tepid Start Before US Jobs Data: Markets Wrap - Bloomberg

[Younger voice] "But wait a minute, Ising-Lenz goes back to the 1920's. And didn't Hinton plagiarise rather a lot? He also didn't invent modern backprop, did he, that's Linnainmaa? And Amari preceded Hopfield, too. That's not a good look."

"Naah, Linnainmaa is a Finn. Can't give it to a bloody Finnish mathematician. Let's go for drinks. Brännvin anyone?"

My 11 million SEK, Dr Jo.

Practice Report (6/9): Notes from the sideline - New York Giants

(Bob Dylan, Nobel Prize for Literature, 2016)

^† They rationalise their decision thusly:

Whatever.

Everything Apple Announced at WWDC 2025 - WIRED

In December 1973, when Kissinger was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, comedian Tom Lehrer dropped his mic and stamped on it—satire had just died.

"Where can we shoehorn it in? Chemistry is easy 'cos AlphaFold; but what about physics? A bit more challenging, right?"

(Mumbles of assent)

How corporate America learnt not to mess with Texas - Financial Times

[The basic structure of artificial neural networks] has close similarities with spin models in statistical physics applied to magnetism or alloy theory. This year’s Nobel Prize in Physics recognizes research exploiting this connection to make breakthrough methodological advances in the field of ANN.

"Didn't he do something with Boltzmann in it? That sounds physics-y. RBMs and stuff, eh?"

In awarding prizes, the Nobel Committees often seem only marginally more competent than MTG is at explaining meteorology. And if they can give a literature prize for lyrics like:

Michael Kelly Named President of the Naval Academy Athletic Association and Director of Athletics at the Naval Academy - Naval Academy Athletics - Naval Academy Athletics

There you go.^†

"Hey guys, AI is pretty big so let's centre our prizes on it this year. We can get some attention, and it's all about advertising, at the end of the day, isn't it?"

"Good idea, but how can we wangle something that says 'Physics'?"

What real evidence is there to believe in legends such as the story of Atlandida or the lost continent of Lemuria?

They then move on to selectively provide their own version of history. But hey, it’s OK. They wanted controversy, didn’t they? Whatever.

… then anything is possible. There’s no rule that a Nobel Prize has to make sense.^*

[Older voice] "Mmm. What about Hinton, he's widely regarded? Nobody got fired for buying IBM"

Why does it seem that Quora's "moderators" base their moderations on personal beliefs and views by deleting answers that are only violating their personal feelings?

You can have your cake and eat it too

A fly on the wall at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

When he's standing, in front of you

What do flat earthers think about Antarctica?