Nobel Prizes
The Nobel Prizes are prestigious international awards given annually across various fields to honour significant contributions to humanity.
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Definition and Purpose:
- The Nobel Prizes were established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895.
- The purpose is to reward outstanding achievements in multiple domains that benefit humankind.
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International Awards:
- The Nobels are awarded in five core categories: Peace, Literature, Chemistry, Physics, and Physiology or Medicine.
- In 1968, the Sveriges Riksbank (Swedish National Bank) established the Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel.
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National Honours Systems:
- Different nations have their own systems of awards that may complement or align with the ideals of the Nobel Prizes.
- For example, the British Order of Merit or the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the United States.
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Cultural and Creative Awards:
- Literature Nobel recognises authors whose works exhibit profound cultural impact and creativity.
- Examples of winners include Gabriel Garcia Marquez (1982) and Kazuo Ishiguro (2017).
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Scientific and Academic Awards:
- The Nobel Prizes in Physics and Chemistry reward groundbreaking discoveries and innovations in these fields.
- Notable laureates include Marie Curie, who won the Nobel Prize in Physics (1903) and in Chemistry (1911).
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Historical Background of the Awards:
- Alfred Nobel was a Swedish inventor and philanthropist, known for inventing dynamite.
- The first Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1901, and they have been awarded annually since, barring a few exceptions during the world wars.
