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?

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

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

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

How the Brain Filters Distractions to Stay Focused on a Goal - Neuroscience News

(Mumbles of assent)

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

"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?"

Can anyone show a photo with a penis in their anus?

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

There you go.^†

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

Shared Genetic Signatures Found Across Psychiatric Disorders - Neuroscience News

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:

[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.

[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."

How can consumers verify the power claims of light therapy devices?

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.

Why wait any longer for the one you love?

(Bob Dylan, Nobel Prize for Literature, 2016)

Can people who have never met you tell if you are a covert narcissist?

My 11 million SEK, Dr Jo.

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

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

How can the democrats say Mr. Trump is bad when he is already fixing this country again and he's not even president yet?

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

Whatever.

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

What, when building a house, are the necessary wires (beside 120v) to future proof my house, Cat6, Coax, low voltage, and alarm wires?

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

When he's standing, in front of you

You can have your cake and eat it too

Everyone says the pet population is out of control. Everyone says you MUST spay or neuter your pets. No one wants to talk about how its almost $1,000 to spay or neuter a pet. Why is it so expensive if its so necessary? Animal shelters do it for free.

Whatever.

^† They rationalise their decision thusly:

Why wait any longer for the world to begin?

Robinhood Traders Playing S&P Index-Guessing Game Get Schooled - Bloomberg