Since 1901, the Nobel Prizes have recognized individuals and organizations for their significant contributions to humanity, following the vision of inventor Alfred Nobel.
As the 2024 Nobel winners are set to be announced between October 7 and 14, here are five key facts about the prizes and their creator.
– In Detention –
Since the inception of the Nobel Peace Prize, five laureates have been unable to attend the awards ceremony in Oslo due to various detentions. Notable cases include:
Carl von Ossietzky (1936): A German journalist and pacifist, he was imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp.
Aung San Suu Kyi (1991): The Myanmar opposition leader was under house arrest and declined to travel for the ceremony due to concerns about her ability to return home.
Liu Xiaobo (2010): The Chinese dissident was imprisoned, and his chair remained empty during the ceremony.
Ales Bialiatski (2022): The Belarusian human rights advocate was in jail, represented by his wife.
Narges Mohammadi (2023): The Iranian activist celebrated her Nobel from her cell in Evin prison.
– Young and Old –
The Nobel Prizes have recognized both young and elderly recipients:
Malala Yousafzai (2014): Awarded the Peace Prize at age 17, she became the youngest laureate.
Lawrence Bragg (1915): He won the Physics Prize at 25, sharing it with his father.
Nadia Murad (2018): Awarded the Peace Prize at 25 for her advocacy for the Yazidi community.
John Goodenough (2019): The oldest laureate, he won the Chemistry Prize at 97 for his work on lithium-ion batteries.
Arthur Ashkin (2018): Received the Physics Prize at the age of 96.
– Posthumous Awards –
The Nobel Foundation’s statutes since 1974 state that prizes cannot be awarded posthumously, except if the recipient dies between the announcement and the ceremony. Notable posthumous awards include:
Dag Hammarskjöld (1961): The UN Secretary-General was awarded the Peace Prize after his death in a plane crash.
Erik Axel Karlfeldt (1931): The Swedish poet received the Literature Prize posthumously.
Ralph Steinman (2011): The Nobel committee awarded him the Physiology or Medicine Prize, unaware he had passed away shortly before the announcement.
– Nobel the Poet –
While Alfred Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, he was also passionate about literature. He admired poets like Percy Bysshe Shelley and Lord Byron and wrote poetry throughout his life, primarily in English. In 1896, the year of his death, he wrote a controversial play titled “Nemesis,” inspired by Shelley’s work.
– 300 Nominations Per Year –
The Swedish Academy, which awards the Nobel Prize in Literature, receives approximately 300 nominations annually. These nominations come from former laureates, academics, and organizations, highlighting the strengths of the proposed authors. Candidates must be alive, and nominations need to be renewed each year by January 31. Self-nominations are not permitted, and including gifts with nominations is generally considered poor taste.
As the 2024 Nobel Prize announcements approach, these insights shed light on the rich history and significance of the awards.
