The Nobel Prize Ceremony is held every year on December 10 in Stockholm, Sweden.
Alfred Nobel invented the Nobel Prize more than 120 years ago.
Here I will introduce what the Nobel Prize is and the background of the Nobel Prize’s creation.
The Nobel Prize and its inventor, Alfred Nobel
The Nobel Prize Ceremony, held annually on December 10 in Stockholm, Sweden, is a ceremony that attracts attention from around the world.
The Nobel Prize is awarded to individuals who have made outstanding achievements in their respective fields.
The Nobel Prize originated in Sweden and was created in 1901 based on the will of Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel.
Alfred Nobel, the originator of the Nobel Prize and the namesake of the award, was born in Stockholm in 1833.
Until his death on December 10, 1896, Alfred Nobel was an inventor of many inventions.
He was awarded 355 patents.
Of Nobel’s many inventions, dynamite is the most famous.
Dynamite was far more powerful and destructive than conventional explosives.
Dynamite contributed significantly to the pioneering and development of infrastructure.
On the other hand, the unstable situation in Europe from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century led to the mass production of dynamite as a weapon to kill many people because of its destructive power.
Nobel was shocked by this situation, which later led to the creation of the Nobel Prize.
The Birth of the Nobel Prize
Among the inventions created by Alfred Nobel, dynamite was a particularly representative invention.
His development of dynamite made him a multimillionaire and earned him the nickname “The King of Dynamite.
However, dynamite was initially invented to build infrastructure.
But because of its high killing power, it was produced as a weapon against Nobel’s will.
Several critics criticized the development of dynamite, which can quickly kill and injure people.
Nobel was tormented for many years with regret over the fact that his invention, which was initially intended to enrich people’s lives, was now being produced as a weapon.
In 1895, the year before his death, Nobel wrote the following words in his last will, out of remorse and regret for having invented dynamite.
“I want all my property to be distributed as prize money to those who have contributed to the good of the people.”
He left 31 million Swedish kronor, or about 94% of his total wealth, as assets.
The Nobel Foundation was established in 1900 by his will.
The Nobel Prize was awarded the following year, in 1901.
Nobel Prize consists of 6 categories.
The Nobel Prizes are divided into six categories
- The Nobel Prize in Chemistry
- The Nobel Prize in Literature
- The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
- The Nobel Prize in Physics
- The Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences
- The Nobel Peace Prize
are awarded to the respective laureates.
When the Nobel Prizes were first established, they were awarded in five categories, except the Economic Sciences Prize.
This is because, of the six Nobel Prizes, only the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences was not conceived by Nobel.
The Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences was created in 1968 to celebrate Alfred Nobel on the Swedish National Bank’s 300th anniversary.
The Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, like the Nobel Prizes in other fields, is awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Chemistry.
However, the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences is not funded by the Nobel Foundation but by the Swedish National Bank.
The name of the prize is “Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences” for the sake of convenience.
The official name is “Alfred Nobel Memorial Swedish National Bank Prize in Economic Sciences.
Therefore, the Nobel Foundation, established with Alfred Nobel’s funds, does not recognize the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences as an official Nobel Prize.
Selection Process for Nobel Laureates
The Nobel Prize award ceremony is a worldwide event every year. However, the selection process, from selecting candidates to holding the ceremony, is surprisingly unknown.
This section explains how Nobel Prize laureates are selected.
First of all, the selection process for the Nobel Prize is handled by different organizations for each prize.
The Nobel Prizes in Physics, Chemistry and Economic Sciences are awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine by the Karolinska Institute, and Literature by the Swedish Academy.
The Nobel Peace Prize is not awarded by Sweden but by the Norwegian legislature, Storting.
The selection process for the Nobel Prize takes place over the course of a year.
The first step is to convene nominators to pick the candidates.
The first step is to call for nominators to pick the candidates.
Only a limited number of people, such as past laureates and university professors, are eligible to become nominators.
The nominators are then asked to nominate about 300 candidates for each prize, and the number of candidates is gradually narrowed down to a minimal number.
Only five people are considered finalists for each prize, and the Academy members make the final selection.
In addition, the Nobel Prize winners are not disclosed to the public until the day of the announcement.
The selection process and the criteria used to select the candidates are also made public only 50 years after the award is announced.
Nobel Prize Ceremony on December 10
The Nobel Prize Ceremony is held annually on December 10 at Stockholm City Hall in Sweden.
The Nobel laureates receive a certificate, a commemorative medal, and a cash prize from the Nobel Foundation, presented by the King of Sweden.
After the Nobel Prize ceremony, a banquet is held in Stockholm City Hall, attended by the laureates and their associates.
The only exception among the Nobel Prizes is the Nobel Peace Prize, awarded at the Oslo City Hall in Norway.
This reflects the situation in Nordic countries at the time Nobel lived there.
Norway was under Swedish rule for about 90 years, from 1814 to 1905.
It is said that the reason for the award is that Nobel wished for lasting peace between Norway and Sweden.
Conclusion
The Nobel Prize was born out of Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel’s reflections on his development of dynamite.
The Nobel Prize consists of six categories.
And the awarding ceremony is held every year on December 10 at Stockholm City Hall in Sweden and Oslo City Hall in Norway.
