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Nobel Prize in Physics 2019 goes to trio for work exploring evolution of our universe

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Scientists James Peebles, Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz are announced as the winners of the 2019 Nobel Prize for Physics for ground-breaking work in astronomy, October 8, 2019 in Stockholm, Sweden. Reuters

Three scientists have won the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics for the Nobel Prize in Physics for their contribution to the understanding of the evolution of the universe and "Earth's place in the cosmos."

One half of the award was given to James Peebles "for theoretical discoveries in physical cosmology," and the other half jointly to Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz "for the discovery of an exoplanet orbiting a solar-type star."

They will share a 9-million kronor ($918,000) cash award, a gold medal and a diploma. The laureates will receive them at a ceremony in Stockholm on Dec. 10.

"This year's Laureates have transformed our ideas about the cosmos," the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said. "While James Peebles' theoretical discoveries contributed to our understanding of how the universe evolved after the Big Bang, Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz explored our cosmic neighborhoods on the hunt for unknown planets. Their discoveries have forever changed our conceptions of the world."

The physics prize was announced a day after two Americans and one British scientist were awarded the award for Physiology or Medicine.

Nobel Prize in medicine honors pioneering research that helps fight disease 00:34

This year, the Nobel week will include an award in chemistry, to be announced Wednesday, two literature laureates, the coveted Nobel Peace Prize and the economics award.

This year's double-header Literature Prizes will be awarded Thursday and the Peace Prize will be announced on Friday. The economics prize will be awarded on Oct. 14.

The 2018 literature prize was suspended after a scandal rocked the Swedish Academy. The body plans to award it this year, along with announcing the 2019 laureate.

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