Nobel Prize

The Nobel Prize is an annual prize awarded to people or organizations for important achievements in a particular field of science or for especially important social activities.

A golden medallion with an embossed image of Alfred Nobel facing left in profile.

Nobel Prizes are awarded in the fields of Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Peace (Nobel characterized the Peace Prize as "to the person who has done the most or best to advance fellowship among nations, the abolition or reduction of standing armies, and the establishment and promotion of peace congresses"). Nobel Prizes are widely regarded as the most prestigious awards available in their respective fields.

Each year, special committees within the institutions that select the Nobel laureates conduct surveys of scientists from various countries in a certain field to find out what they would recommend for the award. Selected applicants are put forward for a wider vote, which takes place in October, and the winners are announced immediately after the votes are counted. The prizes are awarded on the day of Nobel's death - December 10. The prize consists of a gold medal, a diploma and a sum of money, currently around 1 million euros. If several people are awarded a bonus in a certain area that year, the bonus money is divided equally.

Alfred Nobel

Alfred Nobel was born on 21 October 1833 in Stockholm, Sweden. He was a Swedish chemist, engineer, and industrialist most famously known for the invention of dynamite. He died in December 10 1896. In his will, he bequeathed all of his "remaining realisable assets" to be used to establish five prizes which became known as "Nobel Prizes." Nobel Prizes were first awarded in 1901.

Alfred Nobel sitting in the chair