Between 2009 and 2015, in an effort to reward and encourage good writing in the blogosphere, 3QD gave out four annual prizes (including a cash award) to the best blogs in arts, science, philosophy and politics. After a nomination process, public voting and final filtering by the editors, six to nine finalists were sent to a renowned figure in the field for final judgement. Past judges of the Quark Prizes have included luminaries like Daniel Dennett, Lisa Randall, Richard Dawkins, Gish Jen, Lewis Lapham, Robert Pinsky, and others.
Due to logistical, financial, and other reasons, the Quark Prizes were discontinued after 2015.
The details of the way the 3QD prizes worked was explained in the announcement of our first prize here.
2015
Winners of the 2015 Philosophy Prize — judged by John Collins (Prize announcement and other details here.)
Winners of the 2015 Science Prize — judged by Nick Lane (Prize announcement and other details here.)
Winners of the 2015 Arts & Literature Prize — judged by Jonathan Kramnick (Prize announcement and other details here.)
Winners of the 2015 Politics & Social Science Prize — judged by Ken Roth (Prize announcement and other details here.)
2014
Winners of the 2014 Philosophy Prize — judged by Huw Price (Prize announcement and other details here.)
Winners of the 2014 Science Prize — judged by Frans B. M. de Waal (Prize announcement and other details here.)
Winners of the 2014 Arts & Literature Prize — judged by Mohsin Hamid (Prize announcement and other details here.)
Winners of the 2014 Politics and Social Science Prize — judged by Mark Blyth (Prize announcement and other details here.)
2013
Due to logistical and financial reasons, we were unable to award the Quark prizes in December, 2012, and all of 2013.
2012
Winners of the 2012 Philosophy Prize — judged by Justin E. H. Smith (Prize announcement and other details here.)
Winners of the 2012 Science Prize — judged by Sean Carroll (Prize announcement and other details here.)
Winners of the 2012 Arts & Literature Prize — judged by Gish Jen (Prize announcement and other details here.)
2011
Winners of the 2011 Politics & Social Science Prize — judged by Stephen M. Walt (Prize announcement and other details here.)
Winners of the 2011 Philosophy Prize — judged by Patricia Churchland (Prize announcement and other details here.)
Winners of the 2011 Science Prize — judged by Lisa Randall (Prize announcement and other details here.)
Winners of the 2011 Arts & Literature Prize — judged by Laila Lalami (Prize announcement and other details here.)
2010
Winners of the 2010 Politics Prize — judged by Lewis H. Lapham (Prize announcement and other details here.)
Winners of the 2010 Philosophy Prize — judged by Akeel Bilgrami (Prize announcement and other details here.)
Winners of the 2010 Science Prize — judged by Richard Dawkins (Prize announcement and other details here.)
Winners of the 2010 Arts & Literature Prize — judged by Robert Pinsky (Prize announcement and other details here.)
2009
Winners of the 2009 Politics Prize — judged by Tariq Ali (Prize announcement and other details here.)
Winners of the 2009 Philosophy Prize — judged by Daniel C. Dennett (Prize announcement and other details here.)
Winners of the 2009 Science Prize — judged by Steven Pinker (Prize announcement and other details here.)