Nobel Prize

Alfred Nobel, a Swedish inventor and industrialist, directed in his will that most of his fortune be used for prizes recognizing people who had conferred the greatest benefit on humankind. The will specified five areas: physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace. After Nobel’s death in 1896, the institutions and arrangements needed to implement his wishes were established; the first Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1901. The prize system has since become a prominent international form of recognition, although it reflects the judgment of its designated selectors and does not represent a universal ranking of achievement.

The original Nobel Prize fields are physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace. A sixth related award is often informally called the Nobel Prize in Economics, but its formal name is the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. Sweden’s central bank established it in 1968, on its 300th anniversary, through a donation to the Nobel Foundation; it was first awarded in 1969. It is not one of the five prizes specified in Nobel’s will, though it is administered according to similar principles and the same institution that selects physics and chemistry laureates selects its recipients.

The institutions named in Nobel’s will retain separate responsibilities. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences selects laureates in physics and chemistry; the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet selects the physiology or medicine laureates; the Swedish Academy selects the literature laureate; and the Norwegian Nobel Committee, appointed by the Norwegian Parliament, selects the peace laureate. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences also selects the laureates in economic sciences. The division of responsibility reflects the different fields and the arrangements Nobel specified rather than a single central jury choosing every laureate.

Nobel laureates are selected through field-specific processes managed by the relevant prize-awarding institution and its committees. Each year, eligible nominators—including invited academics, scientists, previous laureates and other designated people—submit candidates. The Nobel Foundation’s public guidance states that thousands of people may be invited to nominate, with the goal of representing countries and universities over time. A nomination is not an endorsement by the Nobel Foundation and does not establish that a candidate is likely to receive an award. Committees assess nominations and make recommendations or selections according to each prize’s rules. Nomination records are kept confidential for 50 years, and self-nomination is not allowed.

Laureates are announced in October, and the awards are traditionally presented on 10 December, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death. The prizes in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and economic sciences are presented in Stockholm; the Nobel Peace Prize is presented in Oslo. At the Stockholm ceremony, each laureate receives a diploma and medal. The prizes have brought global attention to scientific, literary and peace-related work, while their selection choices and omissions have also prompted public debate.