While most Nobel Prize winners are traditionally informed of their award by the Nobel Prize committee, Professor of Physics Carlo Rubbia learned of his success yesterday in a most unusual way.

Routinely travelling in a taxi cab in Italy to catch an afternoon airplane flight to his home in Geneva yesterday, Rubbia, much to his surprise, heard over the car radio that he had won the the prestigeous award.

The cab driver, unaware that newest Nobel laureate was riding in his taxi, turned to Rubbia and remarked how interesting it was that an Italian had won the prize.

"I then told him that I thought so too, because that person is me," Rubbia said.

The driver, however, quickly recovering from his surprise, then promptly informed Rubbia that in light of his newly acquired wealth, he should pay a fare worthy of his status.