Americans share Nobel physics prize

Three Americans shared the 2009 Nobel prize for physics today. The honour has been awarded to Charles K Kao, Willard S Boyle and George E Smith for breakthroughs involving the transmission of light in fibre optics and inventing an imaging semiconductor circuit.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said all three have American citizenship. Kao also holds British citizenship while Boyle is a Canadian dual national.

The award includes a 10 million kronor (€982,000) purse, a diploma and an invitation to the prize ceremonies in Stockholm on December 10.