Well, I read it through.
One thing which I didn't knew that Salam was very close getting a prize well before 1979.
"Salam then discovered that if a particle called a neutrino which had no electric charge and was emitted together with an electron in beta-decay had precisely zero mass (and thus according to Einstein’s theory of relativity must travel at the velocity of light) then the equation which describes it has a natural symmetry which violates parity so that a world in which left-handed was preferred to right-handed could be the consequence of zero mass neutrinos.
Paul Matthews wrote to him from the United States ‘you’ve really hit the jackpot this time’. His friend and collaborator john Ward wrote ‘So many congratulations and fond hopes for at least one-third of a Nobel prize’. One-third because the prize would presumably be shared with Lee and Yang.
Unfortunately for Salam the Nobel Committee didn’t agree. After experimental
confirmation in 1957 that parity was violated and that neutrinos emitted in beta-decays
rotated preferentially anti-clockwise (that is were left-handed) the 1957 Nobel prize was
awarded to Lee and Yang not Salam. Salam continued to hope that future Nobel Committees
would take a more positive view of his work."
Also, what I didn't knew is his role in IAEA.
Shows an epic bias from the writer's point of view. Discussing faith of foreign minister and country's top scientist. Do you feel odd, when anyone say a hindu foriegn minister of india met top scientist of india (himself a hindu) -- and they both working together entirely for the best interest of india ?. Won't it feel odd ? Pakistan playing its role in IAEA was yet another achievement for the country. Officials working for the country (whatever faith they have) should be praised. Not seen with suspicion.
When there's a bias in the mind then everything will look suspicious. At that time, no law was introduced against their sect too. These individuals were working in best interest of the country. Atleast that's what I read it.
Anywhere in the world progress happens with connections and relationships. Otherwise, there maybe geniuses like Einstiens but we never heard of. This is how world works. Getting to know each other, traveling to different universities, working on different projects, gaining experiences, gaining knowledge this is how scientific community worked... especially for third world countries where there were none prestigious institutions.
Or another scientist, Dr.A.Q Khan got knowledge from institutes in EU, Later he sent his colleagues under shadow company names who got trainings and even some equipment from various EU institutes. That's a brilliant plan that worked. Israeli scientists did the same and they honored them forever. But we humiliated our hero on TV taking all the blame of his network. It was his plan for his country. Now, there is usual bias & hatred against Pakistan. See how West writes about Dr.A.Q.Khan. They make him villain. Do you think, they can easily digest Pakistani getting a Nobel. Many may not. But atleast Pakistanis should know the immense contributions handful few made for the country in its earlier decades.