Encouraging scientific activity has a venerable history. Monarchs and wealthy patrons periodically rewarded natural scientists with valuable gifts or lifelong pensions for their discoveries, which allowed them to continue work at a new level. However, such encouragement acquired a systematic character with the establishment of prizes awarded by scientific academies for solving special problems. The leadership here belongs to the British Royal Society. In 1709, Sir Godfrey Copley, a wealthy landowner and public figure, bequeathed before his death the establishment of a fund from which one hundred pounds would be transferred annually to the public to finance experiments or other activities aimed at "the development of the knowledge of nature."
After lengthy discussion, members of the society decided to use the funds for a prize that would be awarded for outstanding scientific achievement. The winner received not only one hundred pounds, but also the original Copley medal. The first recipient of the medal was determined in 1731: it was Stephen Gray for the discovery of the transmission of electricity over a distance. A year later, he also “took” the second prize - for fundamental experiments with electricity, which made it possible to divide all substances into conductors and insulators. The Copley Medal is still awarded today, and the prize money has increased to £5,000. Among its laureates were Russian scientists: Dmitry Mendeleev, Ilya Mechnikov and Ivan Pavlov.
Another famous prize emerged from the will. Her story is no less interesting.
Death Dealer is dead
Alfred Bernhard Nobel was born in 1833 into the family of engineer Emmanuel Nobel. In 1842, the family moved from Stockholm to St. Petersburg, where Emmanuel began developing sea mines. It was in Russia that young Alfred first showed an inventive spirit and enlisted the support of authoritative scientists: on the advice of chemist Nikolai Zinin, his father sent him to study in France. The prosperity of the Nobel family was facilitated by the outbreak of the Crimean War in 1853; she also prompted Alfred to take up explosives. In the early 1860s, returning to St. Petersburg, he created explosives based on nitroglycerin and opened a plant for its production in Sweden. In 1865 he invented and patented a metal capsule for a cartridge, in 1867 - dynamite, called “Nobel’s safe explosive powder”. The business turned out to be profitable. Although Nobel later became involved in the transportation and production of iron, in the eyes of the public he remained a military-industrial magnate, because at that time he owned 93 enterprises in Europe and the United States, which were exclusively engaged in the production of explosives.
In 1888, an unpleasant incident occurred. The inventor's brother Ludwig died, but by mistake European newspapers published an obituary for Alfred. After reading a note in a French newspaper entitled “The Merchant of Death is Dead,” Nobel thought about what kind of glory he would leave behind and decided to change his will. It was drawn up on November 27, 1895, and announced in January 1897 (the inventor himself died on December 10, 1896). The will says:
All my movable and immovable property must be converted by my executors into liquid assets, and the capital thus collected must be placed in a reliable bank. The income from the investments should belong to a fund, which will distribute them annually in the form of bonuses to those who, during the previous year, have brought the greatest benefit to humanity ... The specified interest must be divided into five equal parts, which are intended: one part - to the one who makes the most important discovery or invention in the field of physics; the other - to the one who makes the most important discovery or improvement in the field of chemistry; the third - to the one who makes the most important discovery in the field of physiology or medicine; the fourth - to the one who creates the most outstanding literary work of an idealistic direction; fifth, to the one who has made the most substantial contribution to the unity of nations, the abolition of slavery, or the reduction of existing armies, and the promotion of peace congresses... It is my particular wish that the nationality of the candidates shall not be taken into account in the awarding of prizes.
Although numerous relatives of the inventor tried to challenge the will, it came into force. The first Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1901. Their laureates were Wilhelm Roentgen (physics), Jacob Hendrik van't Hoff (chemistry), Emil von Behring (physiology and medicine), René Sully-Prudhomme (literature), Jean Dunant and Frederic Passy (promoting world peace). The cash content of the awards in those years was 150,000 Swedish kronor, but has grown steadily, reaching today an amount of over a million in dollar equivalent. The laureates are also awarded a corresponding diploma and a medal with the image of Alfred Nobel. In 1969, on the initiative of the Swedish Bank, a nomination for achievements in the field of economic science was established, but the prize was not expanded further. The board of the Nobel Foundation decided not to increase the number of nominations.
Why are the awards given?
Since the beginning of the twentieth century, the procedure and ceremony for awarding the prize have become more complex until they have reached a certain perfection. Every year, the Nobel Committee sends out over three thousand requests for nominations to specialists working in the relevant field, professors, rectors and former committee members. Based on the answers, a list of three hundred candidates is formed, which remains secret for fifty years. The final selection of laureates is carried out with the participation of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the Swedish Academy and the Nobel Assembly of the Karolinska Institute. The names of the laureates are announced in advance in October, and the award ceremony is held on December 10 in the capitals of two countries - Sweden and Norway. In Stockholm, prizes are awarded in scientific and literary categories, in Oslo - a prize in the field of peace protection. In addition to the ceremony, lectures by the laureates, a banquet and a concert are held.
Nobel Media AB 2015
The 2016 Nobel Prize, as is customary, is awarded on December 10. The names of the laureates are traditionally announced in advance. It must be said that every year it becomes more and more difficult to explain to ordinary people why this or that discovery awarded a prize is of great importance for world science, because the specialization of research is growing, and many achievements have a very specific meaning. For example, in the “Physics” category, three British scientists became laureates: David Thouless, Duncan Haldane and John Kosterlitz - with the wording “for the theoretical discoveries of topological phase transitions and topological phases of matter.” What does it mean? The question takes us back to the 1970s, when a series of papers written by the laureates stimulated the development of a new direction in the study of condensed matter. Such media are called collections of particles of the same type connected by strong interaction: liquids, crystals, amorphous bodies, etc. Their study showed that with the external simplicity of the structure, many dynamic effects can be identified that arise as a result of the “collective existence” of particles. The laureates' contribution was the development of a model of phase transitions (from crystal to liquid, from liquid to gas) inside condensed matter, and the occurrence of the transition, as they suggested, is determined by the geometry of the medium at the level of the relative position of individual particles. The model turned out to be convenient for describing the physics of very exotic processes: helium superfluidity in thin films, magnetism in layered materials, integer quantum Hall effect and many others. It was recently implemented in a direct experiment, which became the reason for the award.
Nobel Media AB 2016
Three scientists also became laureates in the Chemistry category: Frenchman Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Scotsman Sir James Stoddard and Dutchman Bernard Feringa. The prize was awarded "for the design and synthesis of molecular machines." We are talking here about molecules that are created from scratch to solve specific problems, without trying to imitate nature. Moreover, the current laureates have come up with several schemes that can be used to “assemble” arbitrarily complex molecular “constructions” in the future. For example, Sauvage and Stoddard made mechanically linked molecules: catenanes (rings rotating relative to each other) and rotaxanes (ring moving along a straight base). Based on these schemes, a “molecular elevator”, “molecular muscles” and even an artificial ribosome capable of synthesizing proteins were built. Feringa proposed a “molecular motor” in which two spinning parts of a molecule interact through a carbon-carbon covalent bond. The most spectacular use of a “motor” has been demonstrated in a “nanomachine” that is capable of driving independently on a gold substrate, carrying a complex molecule as a load.
Nobel Media AB 2016
The prize in the “Physiology and Medicine” category was received by the Japanese Yoshinori Ohsumi for the discovery and deciphering of the mechanism of autophagy (from the ancient Greek “eating oneself”) - the process of lysosomal processing of organelles and protein complexes inside a living cell. Having begun to study the phenomenon back in the 1980s, the scientist was able to reveal its biochemical and genetic nature, as well as prove the universality of the mechanism for any organisms. After his work, we can say that we now know how the process of recycling “spoiled” cell elements develops, and we can even control this process, which in the future may help in the fight against aging diseases.
Nobel Media AB 2016
In the “Economics” category, the award was “taken” by the American Oliver Hart and the Swede Bengt Holmström with the wording “for their contribution to the theory of contracts.” The work of these economists has wide practical application; on their basis, for example, modern European bankruptcy legislation was formed.
The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos Calderon, who ended the civil war in his country that lasted more than half a century. Probably, only this award does not raise questions.
In the Literature category, the famous American rock musician Bob Dylan (Robert Zimmerman) unexpectedly became the laureate. And here no long explanation is required: just listen to his wonderful composition Things Have Changed.
Nobel Media AB 2016
Since 1991, the Nobel Prize has had an evil twin - the “Ig Nobel Prize” for dubious achievements, which tabloids love to publish under the heading “British scientists have proven.” In 2016, among the laureates were Thomas Thwaites, who studied animal behavior and imitated them himself (grazing for three days with mountain goats), and the Volkswagen automobile company received the chemistry prize for its method of faking exhaust emissions tests. Despite this, the Nobel Prize still remains the most authoritative, recognizable and important scientific prize in the world - and all its winners will sooner or later influence our lives.
One of the key events in the social and intellectual life of Sweden is Nobel Day - the annual presentation of the Nobel Prize, which takes place on December 10 in Stockholm's Studhuset (city hall).
These awards are internationally recognized as the most honorable civilian distinction. The Nobel Prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature and Economics are presented to the laureates by His Majesty the King of Sweden at a ceremony held on the anniversary of the death of Alfred Nobel (December 10, 1896).
Each laureate receives a gold medal with the image of Nobel and a diploma. Currently, the Nobel Prize is worth 10 million Swedish kronor (about 1.05 million euros or $1.5 million).
The Prizes in Chemistry, Physics and Economics are awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the Prizes in Medicine are awarded by the Karolinska Institutet, and the Swedish Academy awards the Prize in Literature. The only non-Swedish prize, the Peace Prize, is awarded in Oslo by the Norwegian Nobel Committee.
By the way, Nobel signed the last version of the famous will almost a year before his death - on November 27, 1895 in Paris. It was announced in January 1897: “All my movable and immovable property must be converted by my executors into liquid assets, and the capital thus collected must be placed in a reliable bank. The income from the investments should belong to a fund, which will distribute them annually in the form of bonuses to those who, during the previous year, have brought the greatest benefit to humanity ... The specified interest must be divided into five equal parts, which are intended: one part - to the one who makes the most important discovery or invention in the field of physics; the other - to the one who makes the most important discovery or improvement in the field of chemistry; the third - to the one who makes the most important discovery in the field of physiology or medicine; the fourth - to the one who creates the most outstanding literary work of an idealistic direction; fifth - to the one who has made the most significant contribution to the unity of nations, the abolition of slavery or the reduction of the size of existing armies and the promotion of peace congresses ... It is my special desire that, in awarding prizes, the nationality of the candidates shall not be taken into account ... "
Alfred Bernhard Nobel, Swedish inventor, industrial magnate, linguist, philosopher and humanist, was born in 1833 in Stockholm into a Swedish family. In 1842, his family moved to St. Petersburg, the capital of what was then Russia. Nobel received an excellent education of international class. He read, wrote, spoke and understood equally well in 5 European languages: Swedish, Russian, English, French and German. Nobel went down in history as the inventor of dynamite, a substance that played an important role in the development of world industry.
During his life, Alfred Nobel became the owner of 355 patents, which formed the basis of about 90 enterprises in 20 countries. His brothers Robert and Louis, who worked in Russia and later in Baku in the oil fields, contributed to his fortune. Alfred Nobel bequeathed $4 million (currently equivalent to $173 million) to be used as prizes in the fields of physics, chemistry, physiology and medicine. These areas were close to him, and in them he expected the greatest progress.
He did not bequeath prizes to architects, musicians and composers. Literature prizes also reflect Nobel's personal interests. In his youth he wrote poetry and poems in English and Swedish, and throughout his life he was a voracious reader in all languages accessible to him.The prizes in the field of science and literature were to be awarded in Sweden, and the peace prize - in Norway. The history of the Nobel Prize, the fund of which amounted to 31 million crowns, began with this will.
A year later, on December 10, 1896, Alfred Nobel died in Italy from a stroke. Later this date will be declared Nobel Day. After opening the will, it turned out that almost all of Nobel’s fortune was inaccessible to his relatives, who were counting on this money.
Even the Swedish king Oscar II showed dissatisfaction, who did not want finances to leave the country, even in the form of awards for world achievements. Objective bureaucratic difficulties also arose. The practical implementation of Nobel's will turned out to be very difficult, and under certain conditions the prizes might not take place.
But soon all obstacles were overcome, and in June 1898, Nobel’s relatives signed an agreement to renounce further claims to the capital. The main provisions related to the awarding of prizes also received approval from the Swedish government. In 1900, the Charter of the Nobel Foundation and the rules regulating the activities of the Nobel structures being created were signed by the King of Sweden. The prize was first awarded in 1901.
The Nobel Prize has become the most prestigious prize in the fields of physics, chemistry, physiology, medicine, economics, literature and efforts to establish peace among nations. It is paid once a year from the funds of the fund created according to the will of Alfred Nobel. More than 600 people became Nobel Prize laureates during the 20th century.
Awarding awards does not always meet with universal approval. In 1953, Sir Winston Churchill received a literary prize, while the famous American writer Graham Greene never received it.
Each country has its own national heroes and often the award or non-award is disappointing. The famous Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren was never nominated for the prize, and the Indian Mahatma Gandhi never won the prize. But Henry Kissinger won the Peace Prize in 1973 - a year after the Vietnam War. There are known cases of refusal of the prize for reasons of principle: the Frenchman Jean Paul Sartre refused the literary prize in 1964, and the Vietnamese Le Dick Tho did not want to share it with Kissinger.
The Nobel Prizes are unique awards and are particularly prestigious. The question is often asked why these awards attract so much more attention than any other awards of the 20th century. One reason may be the fact that they were introduced in a timely manner and that they marked some fundamental historical changes in society. Alfred Nobel was a true internationalist, and from the very foundation of the prizes named after him, the international nature of the awards made a special impression. Strict rules for the selection of laureates, which began to apply since the establishment of the prizes, also played a role in recognizing the importance of the awards in question. As soon as the election of the current year's laureates ends in December, preparations begin for the election of next year's laureates. Such year-round activities, in which so many intellectuals from all over the world participate, orient scientists, writers and public figures to work in the interests of social development, which precedes the awarding of prizes for “contribution to human progress.”
The first Nobel banquet took place on December 10, 1901, simultaneously with the first presentation of the prize. Currently, the banquet is held in the Blue Hall of the City Hall. 1300-1400 people are invited to the banquet. Dress code: tailcoats and evening dresses. Chefs from the Town Hall Cellar (a restaurant at the Town Hall) and culinary specialists who have ever received the title of “Chef of the Year” take part in the development of the menu. In September, three menu options are tasted by members of the Nobel Committee, who decide what will be served “at Nobel’s table.” The only dessert that is always known is ice cream, but until the evening of December 10, no one except a narrow circle of initiates knows what kind.
For the Nobel banquet, specially designed dinnerware and tablecloths are used. A portrait of Nobel is woven on the corner of each tablecloth and napkin. Handmade tableware: along the edge of the plate there is a stripe of three colors of the Swedish Empire - blue, green and gold. The stem of the crystal wine glass is decorated in the same color scheme. The banquet service was commissioned for $1.6 million for the 90th anniversary of the Nobel Prizes in 1991. It consists of 6,750 glasses, 9,450 knives and forks, 9,550 plates and one tea cup. The last one is for Princess Liliana, who doesn't drink coffee. The cup is stored in a special beautiful wooden box with the princess's monogram. The saucer from the cup was stolen.
The tables in the hall are arranged with mathematical precision, and the hall is decorated with 23,000 flowers sent from San Remo. All movements of the waiters are strictly timed down to the second. For example, the ceremonial bringing in of ice cream takes exactly three minutes from the moment the first waiter appears with a tray at the door until the last of them stands at his table. Other dishes take two minutes to serve.
Exactly at 19 o'clock on December 210, the guests of honor, led by the king and queen, descend the stairs to the Blue Hall, where all the invitees are already sitting. The Swedish king is holding a Nobel laureate on his arm, and if there is not one, the wife of a Nobel laureate in physics. The first to toast is to His Majesty, the second to the memory of Alfred Nobel. After this, the secret of the menu is revealed. The menu is printed in small print on cards included with each location and features Alfred Nobel's profile in gold embossing. There is music throughout the dinner - very famous musicians are invited, including Rostropovich and Magnus Lindgren in 2003.
The banquet ends with the delivery of ice cream, crowned with a chocolate monogram “N” like a crown. At 22:15 the Swedish king gives the signal for the start of dancing in the Golden Hall of the Town Hall. At 1:30 the guests leave.
Absolutely all dishes from the menu, from 1901 onwards, can be ordered at the Stockholm Town Hall restaurant. This lunch costs a little less than $200. Every year they are ordered by 20 thousand visitors, and traditionally the most popular menu is the last Nobel banquet.
The Nobel concert is one of the three components of the Nobel week, along with the presentation of prizes and the Nobel dinner. It is considered one of the main musical events of the year in Europe and the main musical event of the year in the Scandinavian countries. The most prominent classical musicians of our time take part in it. In fact, there are two Nobel concerts: one is held on December 8 of each year in Stockholm, the second in Oslo at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony. The Nobel concert is broadcast on several international television channels on December 31 of each year.Quote from the message Vladimir_Grinchuv
Nobel Prize
One of the most prestigious awards for achievements in the field of culture, practical science, and social development is the Nobel Prize. The founder is the Swedish inventor, chemist Alfred Nobel. The scientist-engineer left the world many useful devices. But he became famous thanks to dynamite and a will, according to which people who brought “the maximum benefit to humanity” received awards annually.
Not all areas of science and culture were included in the list of nominations. Nobel clearly indicated in which areas to award awards. Scientists and ordinary people are still concerned about the question: why are mathematicians not given the Nobel Prize? There is no opinion confirmed by historians. Therefore, many theories have developed, from anecdotal to probable.
To whom and for what is the Nobel Prize awarded?
During his lifetime, Alfred Nobel was considered the “creator of death.” Therefore, according to historians, the inventor left a fortune to his talented descendants. Not just pioneers in this or that field. And to those individuals who have brought practical benefits to humanity.
Let's figure out who is given and who is not given the Nobel Prize.
History of the Nobel Prize
The creator of the Nobel Prize was born into a family of engineers. Sphere of vital interests – engineering, chemistry, inventions. Nobel received a significant share of his capital from his 355 inventions (the famous one is dynamite).
The great inventor lived 63 years. He died of a cerebral hemorrhage. A year before his death, Alfred Nobel changed his will in favor of “humanity.” When the will of the deceased was announced, numerous relatives demanded a refutation. But the Storting of Norway approved the document.
The executors of the will organized the Nobel Foundation to carry out the instructions, administer the estate and award prizes. The testator's movable and immovable property was converted into liquid assets. The collected capital was placed in the bank. Each year, income from investments is distributed to those individuals who “benefited humanity” in the previous year.
The rules for awarding the award are regulated by the Foundation's Statute. The “significance and usefulness” of inventions is determined by the Nobel Committee.
Nominations
Alfred Nobel indicated in his will that the income from his assets was divided into 5 equal parts. The last will of the great inventor also contains a list of subject areas in which one should “look” for the most useful achievements. Since then, the prestigious award has been awarded in the following categories:
- discovery or invention in the field physicists;
- improvement or useful discovery in the field chemistry;
- physiological or medical opening;
- literary idealistic work;
- promoting peace, the unity of nations, the abolition of slavery.
The testator emphasized that the nationality of applicants is not taken into account. The only condition is that achievement must benefit humanity.
Nobel bypassed mathematics in his will. But in some sources there is information that the item was originally indicated. The inventor later crossed out science.
Why were mathematicians discriminated against?
Mathematicians themselves believe that nowhere can be done without their science. Alfred Nobel forgot to mention the item. I decided that along with physics and chemistry it goes without saying. 
The average person has a different explanation for why the Nobel Prize in mathematics is not awarded. This is an abstract science that is not useful to everyone. What does humanity gain from a new way of solving a complex equation?.. That is why the subject was not included in the list of nominations.
The press is “favorite” with anecdotes in which the decision of the founder of the Nobel Prize is explained by personal motives. The names of the theories put forward:
- French-American version. The Swedish mathematician Mittag-Leffler persistently courted the wife of Alfred Nobel. Moreover, the latter began to reciprocate the scientist’s feelings, which insulted the dignity of the inventor of dynamite. The founder of the prize took revenge on his rival by crossing out “pseudoscience” from his will.
- Swedish version. There was a conflict between Nobel and Mittag-Leffler. And the reasons are not related to the infidelity of the testator's wife. The inventor understood that the prize in mathematics would go to Leffler. After all, the latter is a leader in its field. Nobel did not allow this.
People also “love” stories about the theater. A certain admirer allegedly kissed the hand of Nobel’s wife Sophie so enthusiastically that he did not notice how he stepped on the unlucky husband’s foot. Alfred later learned that the boyfriend was a mathematics professor.
Such versions are considered anecdotal in the scientific world. And there is official evidence of this. Alfred Nobel was not married. Mittag-Leffler existed. The Swedish mathematician sought to have the talented woman Sofya Kovalevskaya (in jokes referred to as “wife”) accepted to a professorship at Stockholm University. But Nobel, as one of the sponsors, did not allow this.
Leffler later persuaded the inventor to leave part of his fortune to the university. The mathematician was overly persistent, which irritated Nobel. The scientist achieved nothing. It only angered the founder of the prize: the latter crossed out Stockholm University from his will.
Historians and scientists themselves have more plausible versions of why the “Nobel for Mathematicians” is not available:
- The founder of the prize was involved in chemistry, physics and medicine in his life, and was fond of literature. Advocated for the strengthening of peace. Participated in anti-slavery societies. Therefore, these five areas were included in the list of nominations.
- Nobel established a prize only for experimental sciences for those achievements that brought real benefits to people. Theoretical items were not included in the will. It is impossible to objectively evaluate their discoveries. Check the result experimentally too.
Einstein's theory of relativity is of little use to humanity: the discovery is significant only for a certain circle of people. But his theory of the photoelectric effect made a significant contribution to the development of the entire society. Therefore, the scientist received a prestigious prize for the latter.
What will they console themselves with?
The mathematicians themselves are not very offended that Nobel bypassed their science. The Nobel Prize is a socially significant prize, with huge cash prizes and a magnificent ceremony. It is difficult to call it purely scientific. Scientists who have made a significant contribution to science do not always rise to the podium. Their achievements are more important for society.
Other prestigious prizes are awarded to mathematicians. And here the nominees are those who have made a huge contribution specifically to mathematical science.
Fields Medal
The most prestigious award in the field of mathematics. Nominees receive a cash prize and a gold medal. Founder: John Fields, President of the VII International Mathematical Congress (1924). Awarded on an ongoing basis since 1936 to 2-4 scientists.
Let's compare it to the Nobel Prize.
The Fields Medal has been called the "Nobel Prize for mathematicians." This emphasizes her prestige and importance in the mathematical world.
Abel Prize
Formally (but not in meaning) Closer to the Nobel Prize is the Abel Prize. Awarded since 2003 at the initiative of the Norwegian government. Named after Niels Henrik Abel.
The winner of the Abel Award is a scientist who has made a significant contribution to the development of mathematics (without reference to age). The value of the prize is comparable to the value of the Nobel Prize (more than 1 million US dollars). Awarded annually.
The Nobel Prize is not available to mathematicians. The actual reasons are unlikely to be related to the personal motives of its founder. Mathematical discoveries have no practical significance. And this is one of the important conditions for receiving the Nobel Prize.
The Nobel Prize is a national prize that has been awarded every year since 1901. It is awarded to the most outstanding chemists, physicists, writers, medical scientists and peacemakers. The laureate is awarded a medal with a portrait of A. Nobel, a diploma and a monetary reward.
The Nobel Prize is worth $1.5 million and is never awarded posthumously. The founder of the award is the famous Swedish entrepreneur, chemist, Alfred Nobel, who became famous throughout the world for creating dynamite.
On November 27, 1895, Nobel signed a will, in which he indicated that after his death the property should be converted into cash and deposited in a bank. All income from capital will be controlled by a special fund, which divides it into 5 parts and pays a monetary reward.
The first prize was awarded on December 10, 1901, and in 1969 a new nomination was established for specialists in the field of economics. The Nobel Foundation has decided that no more new nominations will be established. The Nobel committees, each of which consists of 5 people, are involved in awarding the prize.
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences elects committees to determine the best among physicists and economists. Royal Karolinska Medical-Surgical Institute of Stockholm - committees in the field of medicine. Swedish Academy - committees to determine the best writers. And the peace prize laureates are chosen by the Norwegian parliament Stroting.
The Peace Prize has a specific position. It can be received not only by a person, but also by an organization, and it can be obtained more than once. Although, there are exceptions to every rule - Sklodowska-Curie (chemistry and physics) received the Nobel Prize 2 times; J. Bardeen (twice became a laureate in physics); L. Pauling (Peace Prize and Chemistry).
The award ceremony takes place on December 10 in Nobel's hometown - Stockholm (the capital of Sweden) and only the Peace Prize is presented in Oslo (the capital of Norway). The King of Norway and the entire royal family are always present at the presentation of the Peace Prize. Before the ceremony, the so-called Nobel Week is held - the laureate scientists give lectures, which are published in a special collection of the Nobel Foundation.
But the most important events of the Nobel week are the Nobel Concert, which takes place on December 8, and the Nobel Dinner in the Blue Hall of the city hall. The best and most famous musicians who perform classical music take part in the concert.
The menu for the banquet is drawn up back in September and it contains all the dishes that have been on the menu since the first ceremony in 1901. A mandatory condition of the banquet is a strict dress code: ladies wear evening dresses, and men wear tailcoats. Typically, up to 1,500 people attend the Nobel dinner.
The Nobel Prize is the most coveted prize for many scientists in the world, but some refused to receive money that was earned from human deaths and the use of dynamite.
There is also a parody of the Nobel Prize - the so-called.
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1. THE PRIZE WAS BORN TO DRIVE EYES AWAY FROM NOBEL’S DISCOVERIES
The creator of the prize, Alfred Nobel, was an avid pacifist, which did not stop him from amassing an impressive capital from the arms trade and the invention of dynamite. He believed that the very presence of dangerous weapons should intimidate the enemy, preventing wars, terrorist attacks and bloodshed. The epiphany was painful. When the newspapers buried Alfred Nobel ahead of schedule, confusing him with his brother Ludwig, who died in St. Petersburg, he was greatly surprised by the morning headlines: “Death Merchant,” “Bloody Rich Man,” “Dynamite King.” In order not to go down in history as a millionaire on blood, Alfred Nobel immediately called a lawyer and rewrote his will, which stated that after death, all multimillion-dollar property should be placed in a reliable bank and entrusted to a foundation that would divide the income from investments into five equal parts and award them annually as a bonus . The idea was a success: now few people remember who invented dynamite, but even a child knows about the Nobel Prize.
2. ECONOMY WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE LIST OF PRIZES
Initially, the prize was awarded in five categories: chemistry, physics, medicine, literature and achievements in peacekeeping. Later, in 1969, the Swedish Bank also added an economics bonus to this list. Since the field of economics was not listed in the will, it is awarded not from the Nobel Foundation, but from the Swedish Bank Foundation, but at the Nobel Prize ceremony. Nobel's descendants do not support adding an economic field to the prize. “Firstly,” they say, “the whole meaning of the prize is destroyed. If it is named after Nobel, then it should be awarded only in those areas that Nobel himself listed in his will. Secondly, Nobel simply did not like economists and bypassed their attention in the will is not accidental."
3. PREMIUM IS DROPPING IN PRICE
In terms of current exchange rates, when converting Nobel's movable and immovable property into cash equivalent, the fund received about $250 million. Part of the capital was immediately invested in securities, and prizes were awarded to the laureates from the profits. The fund's current wealth is $3 billion. Despite the growth of the capital of the Nobel Prize fund, in 2012 it was decided to cut it by 20% (from 1.4 million to 1.1 million dollars). Such a move, according to the directors of the fund, will help create a reliable financial cushion and ensure a high monetary level of the bonus for many years.
4. UNUSUAL WINNERS AND NOMINEES
The prize was very rarely awarded to anyone a second time. In all the years of its existence, this happened only 4 times. Federic Segner received both prizes in chemistry, John Bardeen - in physics, Linus Pauling - in chemistry and the Peace Prize. The only woman to receive two Nobel Prizes was Marie Skłodowska-Curie.
Maria Skłodowska-Curie
Stanley Williams, leader of the Crips gang, was nominated for the Nobel Prize 9 times: as a writer and as a humanitarian. Initially, the Crips group opposed police lawlessness on the streets of Los Angeles, but when it grew, it was responsible for several deaths of police officers and, for some reason, a bank robbery. Stanley Williams was arrested and sentenced to death. The books that Stanley wrote while in prison became bestsellers, and he even received a US Presidential Award. This still did not pity the heart of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and in 2005 the leader of the Crips gang was executed.
5. PRIZE IN MATHEMATICS
Many people know that the Nobel Prize is not awarded in the field of mathematics. Many are also sure that the reason for this is Nobel’s beloved, who went to see the mathematician. Indeed, in the will, mathematics was initially included in the list of fields in which the prize was awarded, but was later crossed out by Nobel himself. In fact, there is no evidence of a romantic story associated with Nobel's refusal to give a prize to mathematicians. It is more likely that the main contender for the prize in mathematics before Nobel's death was Mittag-Leffler, whom the founder of the prize had long disliked for his annoying solicitation of donations for Stockholm University. Deciding to be true to himself and not give Mittag-Leffler money, Nobel crossed mathematics off the list and replaced it with the Peace Prize.
6. BANQUET AFTER THE PRIZES
The banquet is held immediately after the awards ceremony in the Blue Hall of Stockholm City Hall. The chefs from the town hall restaurant and the best chefs, who were awarded the title “Chef of the Year” in the year of the award, are involved in preparing the festive dinner. Three months before the banquet, members of the Nobel Committee taste three types of menu and decide which one is worthy of being treated to guests at the banquet. Ice cream is traditionally served for dessert, but its type is kept a closely guarded secret until the evening of the ceremony.
The hall is decorated with more than 20,000 flowers from San Remo, and the movements of the waiters are rehearsed down to the second. Exactly at 7 pm, the guests of honor, led by the monarchs, descend into the Blue Hall. The Swedish king is holding a Nobel laureate on his arm, and if there is none, then the wife of a physics laureate.
The banquet service has its own unique design: it is made in three colors of the Swedish Empire style: blue, green and gold and consists of 6750 glasses, 9450 knives and forks, 9550 plates and one tea cup for Princess Liliana, who did not drink coffee. After the princess's death, the cup was kept in a special mahogany box with the princess's monogram. The saucer from the cup was stolen not long ago.
7. NOBEL IN SPACE
Most often, the name of Alfred Nobel is immortalized by astronauts. In 1970, the International Astronomical Union named a crater on the Moon after Alfred Nobel, albeit on its dark side. And in 1983, asteroid number 6032 was named in his honor.
8. WHEN PRIZES ARE NOT AWARDED
If there are no worthy candidates for a prize in any field, it is simply not awarded. This happened five times with the medicine prize, four times with the physics prize, and most of all with the Peace Prize. According to the rules adopted in 1974, the prize can only be awarded during the lifetime of the laureate. The rule was broken only once, in 2011, when medical laureate Ralph Stayman died of cancer two hours before the presentation.
9. CASH EQUIVALENT OF THE PRIZE AND STRANGE WAYS TO SPEND IT
The cash equivalent of the award is variable, but usually amounts to more than a million US dollars. Not every scientist spends such a sum on the development of his scientific research. Ivan Bunin, with all the scope of his Russian soul, spent money on parties. The poet René François Armand Sully-Prudhomme organized his own prize, which was not as successful as the Nobel Prize, but existed for six years and was awarded to masters of poetry. The Hungarian writer Irme Kertész gave his prize to his wife, thus appreciating her heroic loyalty to him in difficulties and poverty. “Let her buy herself dresses and jewelry,” the writer commented on his decision, “she deserves it.”
Paul Greengard, who researched the relationship between nerve cells, which later led to the creation of antidepressants, used the award money to create his own Pearl Meister Greengard award. It is often presented as an analogue of the Nobel Prize for women, because in the scientific world, according to Greenard, there is enormous discrimination against women. The scientist dedicated the award to his mother who died during childbirth.
10. PEACE PRIZE
The most controversial and politically charged of the six areas in which the prize is awarded is the Peace Prize. At different times, such undisputed villains as Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin were nominated for the award.
Last year, in 2014, Vladimir Putin was nominated for it. Seventeen-year-old Malala Yusufai from Pakistan, who took victory from Putin, became the youngest Nobel Prize winner. Her fight for girls' education in Islamic countries led to worldwide recognition and a prestigious award. Radical Islamic groups declared jihad (holy war) on the girl and immediately after the award they tried to kill her, but Malala survived and continues to fight for women’s rights to education.
Unlike all other areas, the Peace Prize is awarded not in Stockholm, but in Oslo.
