After collecting public nominations and holding four weeks of voting, we can now announce the champions of October Madness, Sigma Xi's Nobel Prize prediction contest.
The October Madness champions are your most popular choices for who might win a Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Physics, and Physiology or Medicine in 2016. We also named a champion for your top choice for this year's Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences.
The champions are listed below, along with voting results from the finals round. Congratulations to Sigma Xi member Kip Thorne for being named one of the champions in physics!
Chemistry
Your prediction for this year's winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry is Paul J. Reider for the discovery and development of approved drugs, including those for treating asthma and for treating AIDS.
Chemistry Bracket
Chemistry Voting Results, the Finals
Economic Sciences
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| Roland Fryer |
Your prediction for this year's winner of the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences is Roland Fryer for ground breaking quantitative analysis techniques that reveal causes and effects of economic and educational gaps based on racial discrimination and other inequities.
Economic Sciences Bracket
Economic Sciences Voting Results, the Finals
Physics
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| Rainer Weiss and Kip Thorne are the physics champions, along with Ronald Drever. |
Your prediction for this year's winners of the Nobel Prize in Physics is Rainer Weiss, Kip Thorne, and Ronald Drever for the direct detection of gravitational waves.
The physics category ended in a tie at the conclusion of voting. The tie between Vera Rubin and Kent Ford vs. Rainer Weiss, Kip Thorne, and Ronald Drever was broken by looking at which group had the most votes in the previous voting round.
Physics Bracket
Physics Voting Results, The Finals
Physiology or Medicine
Your prediction for this year's winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine is Paul Quinton for significant contributions to the understanding of the mechanisms behind cystic fibrosis, particularly the discovery that the fundamental defect in cystic fibrosis is chloride impermeability.
Physiology or Medicine Bracket
Physiology or Medicine Voting Results, the Finals
Can't get enough Noble Prize predictions?
See who Thomson Reuters predicted for this year's winners.
What's Next?
The official Nobel Prize announcements will be made on the following days:
Physiology or Medicine: October 3, 11:30 a.m. at the earliest
Physics: October 4, 11:45 a.m. at the earliest
Chemistry: October 5, 11:45 a.m. at the earliest
Economic Sciences: October 10, 11:45 a.m. at the earliest
Times listed are local time in Sweden.
The winners of the October Madness raffle prizes will be announced on October 11. Participants who nominated someone who goes on to win a Nobel Prize this year are entered into the raffle. Winners who are not members of Sigma Xi receive a free year in the Sigma Xi Affiliate Circle. Members who win the raffle win a free year of membership dues. Check back on Keyed In or Sigma Xi's social media to see if anyone took these prizes.
Photo credit
Roland Fryer, Courtesy of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation [CC BY 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons. No changes were made.
Rainer Weis, Dhs at the English language Wikipedia [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons. No changes were made.
Kip Thorne, By Keenan Pepper (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons. No changes were made.
Heather Thorstensen is manager of communications for Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society.