Two Americans and a German won the Nobel Physics Prize today for optical research giving extremely accurate measurements that could one day be used in deep space travel or three-dimensional holographic television.
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the prize to Roy Glauber, John Hall and Germany's Theodor Haensch for studying light and harnessing lasers to create a "measuring stick" to gauge frequencies with extreme precision.
Such precision will one day be needed for "navigation on long space journeys and for space-based telescope arrays," the Academy said, while Mr Haensch, the youngest of the winners at 63, said it could even lead to "3D holographic television."
Talking from Munich, Haensch told Reuters he was "overwhelmed, happy and speechless" but the party would have to wait: "I have no time to celebrate right at the moment. People are waiting with champagne but I have to go to the airport to go to San Francisco."
Mr Hall, 71 and from Colorado, said he might use his share of the 10 million Swedish crown ($1.29 million) prize money to endow a scholarship in science and technology.
"I'm very interested in helping young people that don't have financial means," he said.