In December 2000, Norwegian philanthropist Fred Kavli created a foundation to promote research in three fields of science: neuroscience, nanoscience and astrophysics. Among others, he organized a contest with prizes of one million dollars and this year the Kavli awards have been awarded for the first time. The award in neuroscience has been for three researchers, the Swedish Sten Grillner and the Americans Pasko Rakic and Thomas Jessell, for the research of neural circuits. American Louis Brus and Japanese Sumio Iijima have received the nanoscience award for research into semiconductor nanocrystals and carbon nanotubes, respectively. American Schmidt de Maart and British Donald Lynden-Bell have received the astrophysics award for their research in quasars.