Alfred Nobel’s will left his fortune to benefit mankind, with the Nobel Prizes awarded annually in five areas. A sixth prize for economics was added in 1969. Nominees are kept secret for 50 years and nominations are solicited from prominent academics and governments/former winners. Two people have refused the prize.
Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel’s will stipulated that his fortune, mostly amassed from his 355 inventions (including dynamite), be used to help individuals and organizations do work that would provide the “greatest benefit to mankind”. The Nobel Prizes are presented annually on 10 December, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death in 1896. They are considered to be among the most prestigious and coveted prizes in the world. But unless you win one, you probably won’t know you’ve ever been nominated, since the nominees’ names are kept secret for 50 years. The Nobel Prize is awarded in five different areas. An individual or organization can win a peace prize, but only individuals can win Nobel prizes in physics, literature, medicine or chemistry.
One of Nobel’s best-known inventions:
Since 1969, a sixth prize – technically not a Nobel Prize – has recognized achievement in economic studies. It is called the Bank of Sweden Prize for Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel.
Nominations are solicited by the Nobel Committee, which sends applications to approximately 3,000 prominent academics working in each relevant area. For the Peace Prize, governments and former winners are called into question.
Two people have voluntarily refused the Nobel Prize: the writer-philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre in 1964 and the Vietnamese leader Le Duc Tho in 1973.
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