Alfred Nobel was a chemist who found a safe
way to use nitroglycerine and create an explosive that achieved widespread use
in Europe in the second half of the nineteenth century. In addition to
inventing dynamite, he created other explosives such as gelignite and
ballistite, and he became rich.
A brilliant and well-read man, Nobel was also
aloof. “I am a misanthrope,” he explained, “and yet, utterly benevolent, have
more than one screw loose yet a super-idealist who digests philosophy more
efficiently than food.” He was a lifelong bachelor who wrote his will in
1895—one year before his death—and the bulk of the money in the brief document
was relegated to establish financial “prizes to those who, during the preceding
year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind.”
The
Nobel Prizes commenced in 1901. In his will Nobel stipulated that five prizes
would be awarded annually: physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine,
literature, and peace; the economics prize came later. He also identified how the prizes would be
awarded. Because Norway and Sweden were united under one king—it was a union
that was established in 1814—each state had a role in the administration of the
prizes.
The awards are presented in December in both capitals: the Peace
Prize in Oslo and the other prizes in Stockholm.
Photo is of the Nobel Prize winners at the White House, April 29, 1962. Source: Abbie Rowe, White House Photographs, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston.
Photo is of the Nobel Prize winners at the White House, April 29, 1962. Source: Abbie Rowe, White House Photographs, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston.
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