The science behind winning a Nobel prize? Being a man from a wealthy family

More equal sharing of opportunity would increase the number of scientific breakthroughs. Photograph: NurPhoto/Getty Images

We like scientific breakthroughs. Humanity ultimately relies on them. So it matters if we’re missing out on discoveries.

But compelling evidence that we are indeed missing out comes from a new study of the childhood background (measured on the basis of their father’s occupation) of some very successful scientists: Nobel laureates.