Two Americans jointly receive this years Nobel Prize for Chemistry. Surprisingly their scientific research, which was done independently of each other, was done relatively recently - in one case only five years ago and in the other case fifteen years ago.
Their research is based on the most fundamental chemistry of life, that is how cells communicate with their environment.
47-year old Robert MacKinnon was awarded the prize for his studies on ion channels in cell membranes and 54-year old Peter Agre was awarded for his discovery on water channels in the membranes.
It is highly unusual for a Nobel Committee to award scientists with a prize for research that was done as recently as in both these cases. This just goes to show how important the research on channels in cell membranes is for our understanding of how cells work, and consequently everything living.
Roderick MacKinnion is a Professor of Molecular Neurobiology and Biophysics at Rockefeller University in New York. Peter Agre is a Professor of Biochemistry and Medicine at the John Hopkins University in Baltimore. Mr Agres work has lead to a field of research on the subject.
Both winners are American citizens.