Genius Cliques: Mapping out the Nobel Network

TL;DR

This paper uses network science to analyze Nobel laureate connections, revealing core-periphery structures, field polarization, and gender disparities among laureates based on Wikipedia data.

Contribution

It introduces a novel network analysis of Nobel laureates, highlighting structural patterns and disparities not previously documented.

Findings

Existence of a central giant component in the laureate network

Core-periphery structure with visibility disparities

Polarization between science and humanities laureates

Abstract

In this short piece, I delved into the connections of Nobel laureates by applying Network Science methods to and public data collected from Wikipedia. I uncovered the existence of a central "giant component" in the Nobel laureate network, highlighting the core-periphery structure and the disparity in visibility among laureates. I explored the dominance of laureates in the fields of science and humanities, revealing a polarization that contradicts the trend of interdisciplinary research. Furthermore, it the finding sheds light on the underrepresentation of female laureates in certain Nobel Prize categories.