Nobel Lecture: Graphene: Materials in the Flatland

Much like the world described in Abbott's Flatland, graphene is a two-dimensional object. And, as "Flatland" is "a romance of many dimensions," graphene is much more than just a flat crystal. It possesses a number of unusual properties which are often unique or superior to those in other materials. In this brief lecture I would like to explain the reason for my (and many other people's) fascination with this material, and invite the reader to share some of the excitement I've experienced while researching it. © 2011 American Physical Society.