The Inception of Nobel Prizes: The Legacy of Alfred Nobel
In 1895, the testament of the Swedish scientist Alfred Nobel documented the establishment of the five Nobel prizes. These awards, recognized by The Nobel Foundation, honor remarkable contributions to Chemistry, Literature, Peace, Physics, and Physiology or Medicine. The Nobel Foundation, a private institution created in 1900, shoulders the responsibility of ensuring Alfred Nobel’s intentions in his will are fulfilled. The Nobel Prizes in these five fields were first awarded in 1901.
Handpicking Nobel Laureates: The Organizations Behind The Selection
Alfred Nobel assigned specific institutions to be responsible for choosing laureates for his established prizes. He entrusted The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences with the selection of laureates for the Nobel Prizes in Physics and Chemistry. The task of choosing the recipient for the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was given to Karolinska Institutet. For the Nobel Prize in Literature, Nobel chose The Swedish Academy. Meanwhile, Nobel assigned a Committee of five persons elected by the Norwegian Parliament (Storting) to choose the laureate for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Addition to the original Nobel Prizes, in 1968, the Sveriges Riksbank established the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. The task of selecting laureates in economic sciences was given to The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1969.
Nobel Prize in Medicine: Groundbreaking Contributions to Cancer Therapy
The 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to James P. Allison from the US and Tasuku Honjo from Japan. They innovatively leveraged the inherent ability of our immune system to attack tumour cells, thereby establishing a new principle for cancer therapy.
Nobel Prize in Physics: From Optical Tweezers to Ultra-Short Optical Pulses
The 2018 Nobel Physics Prize recognized the significant contributions of three scientists: Arthur Ashkin of the U.S., Gerard Mourou of France, and Donna Strickland of Canada. Ashkin invented “optical tweezers,” while Mourou and Strickland developed a method to generate ultra-short optical pulses. This understanding has opened up new avenues in medical and scientific applications.
Nobel Prize in Chemistry: Harnessing the Power of Evolution
Frances Arnold, George Smith, and Gregory Winter were honored with the 2018 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their pioneering research in enzymes and antibodies. Their work has led to the development of improved industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals, environmentally-friendly detergents, biofuels, and cancer drugs.
Nobel Peace Prize: A Stand Against Sexual Violence as a Weapon of War and Armed Conflict
Dr. Denis Mukwege, a Congolese gynecologist, and Yazidi human rights activist Nadia Murad, were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018 for their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict.
Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences: Integrating Climate Change and Technological Innovation
The Nobel memorial prize in economics sciences 2018 recognized the pioneering works of William Nordhaus and Paul Romer. They integrated climate change and technological innovation into economic analysis, laying the foundations for models that encompassed sustainable growth in the global economy and welfare.
Nobel Prize in Literature Controversy: The First Postponement in 70 Years
In 2018, due to a scandal involving allegations of sexual misconduct on Frenchman Jean-Claude Arnault and conflicts of interest between him and the Academy, the Nobel Prize for literature was not awarded. The controversy led to a division within the Academy on how to address the situation, causing the Nobel Literature Prize to be postponed for the first time in 70 years.
