Konstantin Novoselov
He co-discovered graphene, the wonder material one atom thick, with Scotch tape and a playful sense of scientific curiosity.
Born 1974 (age 52)·Russian–British physicist known for graphene work·Birthday: August 23·Generation X
Biography
Konstantin Novoselov's story is one of brilliant collaboration and a literal hands-on approach to physics. Moving from Russia to the Netherlands to work with his future Nobel partner, Andre Geim, he became central to their famous 'Friday night experiments'—informal sessions dedicated to wild, creative science. The most legendary involved a piece of graphite and some ordinary Scotch tape, using it to peel away layers until they isolated graphene: a sheet of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb lattice. This wasn't just a new material; it was a two-dimensional universe with extraordinary strength, flexibility, and conductivity. The 2010 Nobel Prize recognized a discovery that felt almost deceptively simple, opening a vast new field of research for everything from flexible electronics to advanced filtration. Novoselov continues to push the boundaries of two-dimensional materials, a quiet revolutionary who helped unveil a new form of matter.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Konstantin was born in 1974, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Konstantin Was Born
The biggest hits of 1974
#1 Movie
The Towering Inferno
Best Picture
The Godfather Part II
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Konstantin's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1974Born
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1979Started school
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1987Became a teenager
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1990Could drive
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1992Could vote
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Turned 21
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2004Turned 30
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 40
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 50
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 52 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2010 (shared with Andre Geim) for groundbreaking experiments regarding the two-dimensional material graphene.
- Co-authored the seminal 2004 paper 'Electric Field Effect in Atomically Thin Carbon Films' in the journal Science.
- Holds the Langworthy Professorship at the University of Manchester, a historic chair once held by Ernest Rutherford.
Did You Know?
He is an accomplished painter and has held exhibitions of his artwork.
Novoselov holds both Russian and British citizenship.
The initial discovery of graphene was part of the duo's tradition of 'Friday night experiments,' dedicated to unconventional research.
“If you are not curious, forget about being a scientist.”
