What is the Nobel Prize awarded for? How the Nobel Prize was created

What is the Nobel Prize? We can give a short answer to this question. This is a prestigious award given annually to writers, scientists and public figures. But on what basis are these rewarded? outstanding personalities? Who makes the final decision on awarding a prize to a particular candidate? Comprehensive answers to these questions are contained in the article. The names of historical figures and writers who were once nominated for the Nobel Prize (Russian and foreign) are also given here.

Who is Nobel?

Until 1901, no one knew what the Nobel Prize was. Because it simply did not exist. The award ceremony was organized several years after the death of Alfred Nobel. What preceded this event?

The Swedish engineer, chemist and inventor was born in 1833, in the family of an impoverished descendant of the scientist Olof Rudbeck. Since childhood, Alfred was interested in technology and science. Until the age of sixteen, he lived with his parents in Russia. True, the future philanthropist was born in Stockholm. Nobel the father moved to St. Petersburg with his family in 1833.

Great Inventor

Alfred left his father's house at the age of 16. By that time, the financial situation had improved somewhat, and the parents were able to give their inquisitive son a good education. In Europe, Nobel intensively studied chemistry. He was especially interested in explosives, a field of science whose research led Nobel to the invention of dynamite in 1863. Four years later, the scientist received the corresponding patent, which allowed him to subsequently become one of richest people peace.

Without going into details professional activities famous Swede, let's move on to the final part of his biography. It is this that will bring us closer to obtaining a detailed answer to the question of what the Nobel Prize is.

Merchant of Death

Scientists tend to have a fanatical attitude towards their own work. Sometimes they commit the greatest crimes in their research without even noticing it. Nobel produced and widely advertised his product without thinking about the consequences of the development of dynamite production. For this he was nicknamed the “millionaire on blood.” This is how posterity would have remembered the restless researcher under an offensive nickname, if not for one incident.

One fine spring morning (although, perhaps, it happened during the winter frost or autumn storm), the world-famous scientist woke up in his Stockholm apartment and, as usual, fondly remembered the passion of his life - dynamite. In a pleasant mood, Nobel went into the living room to drink a cup of espresso and think new plan to improve the production technology of a mixture based on nitroglycerin. The scientist opened a fresh newspaper... and the thoughts caressing the soul dissipated like yesterday’s dream. On the first page he saw a message about his own death.

The world community would never have known what the Nobel Prize was if not for the mistake of an absent-minded reporter who, when writing an obituary, confused the creator of dynamite with his brother. Nobel was not upset about the death of his relative. He wasn't too upset by his own obituary either. Nobel did not like the definition that the “scribbler” gave him for the sake of a catchphrase - “merchant of death.”

Nobel Foundation

In order to change the course of events and not remain in the memory of descendants as a Millionaire on Blood or a Dynamite King, Alfred Nobel immediately sat down to draw up a will.

So, the document is ready. What is it talking about? After Nobel's death, all his property must be sold, the proceeds deposited in an account in a reliable bank. The resulting profit goes to a newly established fund, which, in turn, distributes it annually according to a strict scheme, dividing it into five equal parts. Each of them constitutes a monetary prize due to a scientist, writer or fighter for world peace. In his will, Nobel emphasized that the choice of a candidate should in no way be influenced by his nationality or citizenship.

The millionaire's relatives were furious when they learned about the will, and for a long time tried to challenge its authenticity. But that's a completely different story.

Rules for selecting a candidate

The Nobel Prize winner can be a physicist, chemist, scientist who made a discovery in the field of medicine or physiology, or the author of an outstanding literary work.

A public figure who has made a significant contribution to the abolition of slavery and the unity of nations is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. A committee named after the scientist is responsible for it. The remaining awards are approved by the following organizations:

• Karolinska Institute (prize in medicine or physiology).
• Swedish Academy (Literature Prize).
• Royal Swedish Academy (prizes in chemistry and physics).

The prize cannot be awarded posthumously. But if, of course, the applicant died after the committee’s announcement and did not live to see the award ceremony, it remains with him. But what if there is no worthy candidate from a particular field? In this case, the prize is not awarded, and the funds are retained until the next year.

Cash bonus amount

The amount is different every year. After all, the profit from transactions from which bonuses are paid cannot be fixed. So, in 2016 it amounted to $1.1 million. And in 2007 - $1.56 million. In addition, several years ago the fund decided to reduce the premium to 20% in order to prevent a decrease in the organization's capital in the future.

It is worth saying that nomination for an award is an interesting and mysterious process. It is attended not only by members of the organizations listed above, but also by more than three thousand people (usually researchers) working in certain fields, as well as former laureates. However, the names of the nominees are kept secret for 50 years.

The presentation of the Nobel Prize is a very solemn event, attended by more than a thousand people. The banquet menu and the decoration of the hall in which it is held is a separate topic that cannot be covered in one article. Therefore, let’s move on to the most interesting part of our story, namely the names of the winners of the most prestigious award. Since the list of them is very extensive, we will name the most famous personalities, and above all our compatriots.

Nobel Prize for Literature

No matter how talented a writer may be, he will not be awarded this prize if he does not strive to convey to his readers the bright, eternal. It is awarded to humanists, idealists, fighters for justice and those who have made a significant contribution to the development of literature. A total of 107 awards were awarded (by 2017). In 1904, 1917, 1966 and 1974, committee members were unable to find a worthy candidate.

Thus, in 1933, Ivan Bunin was awarded a prize for excellence in promoting the development of classical Russian prose. Boris Pasternak a quarter of a century later - for high achievements in lyric poetry and the continuation of the traditions of the epic novel. It is worth saying that the title of the work was not included in the justification for the award. Nevertheless, the author of Doctor Zhivago was subjected to severe oppression in his homeland. It was considered good form to scold Pasternak's novel. At the same time, only a few people read it. After all, the book was for a long time banned in the USSR.

Alexander Solzhenitsyn was awarded the prize due to his high moral strength and adherence to the traditions of the Russian epic novel. He did not show up for the ceremony. Not because I was busy, but because they didn’t let me in. Belarusian writer Svetlana Alexievich is the last Russian-speaking Nobel Prize laureate. Writer Mikhail Sholokhov was also awarded.

Andrey Sakharov

Which Nobel Prize was awarded to the Soviet scientist, one of the creators hydrogen bomb? Prizes in physics or perhaps chemistry? No. Andrei Sakharov is a peace prize laureate. He received it for his human rights activities and speeches against the development of nuclear weapons.

As already mentioned, the names of the nominees become known only after 50 years. Their number once included Leo Tolstoy, Erich Maria Remarque, which is not surprising. Tolstoy is a great humanist. Remarque actively criticized the fascist dictatorship in his books. But some of the names of the Nobel Peace Prize nominees that have become famous are truly puzzling. Hitler and Mussolini. The first was nominated in 1939, the second four years earlier. Lenin could also have been nominated for the Peace Prize. However, the First World War interfered.

Among the discoveries whose authors were awarded the Nobel Prize are: x-rays, penicillin and hadron collider. Nobel Peace Prize laureates include Nelson Mandela, the 14th Dalai Lama. Gabriel García Márquez, Selma Lagerlöf, Ernest Hemingway are just some of the outstanding writers who have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature (most recently, Svetlana Alexievich was one of the Nobel Prize winners). The prize has been awarded since 1901 in five categories: physics, chemistry, physiology and medicine, literature, and for achievements in the field of peacekeeping. The award ceremony takes place annually on the same day – December 10th. Laureates in the first five nominations come to the Swedish capital from all over the world in order to receive a gold medal and a cash prize from the hands of the Swedish king.

After the ceremony, a magnificent banquet awaits them at the city hall, where, in addition to the laureates and members of their families, royalty, the prime minister and representatives of parliament and a whole series high-ranking guests from different countries. The Nobel Peace Prize, however, is awarded not in Stockholm, but at the Oslo Opera House on the same day.

Alfred Nobel's legacy

The Nobel Prize is the property of the Swedish scientist, inventor and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel (1833-1896). It was he who bequeathed his entire fortune to the creation of a fund, funds from which should be awarded to those who during the past year made a special contribution to the history of mankind. At the same time, Nobel insisted that this award be given to outstanding scientists, writers and public figures, regardless of their country of origin.

Inventor, philosopher, entrepreneur

Alfred Nobel was born in Stockholm, the son of inventor and industrialist Emmanuel Nobel, whose restless energy and entrepreneurial ambitions later brought the Nobel family to St. Petersburg. There, Nobel's father worked on the development of torpedoes, and also soon became interested in experiments in creating explosives. The son of Emmanuel Nobel, Alfred, soon became interested in these experiments. Already at the age of 17, he declared himself as a gifted chemist. By the way, Alfred Nobel did not graduate from higher education. educational institutions, however, he received an excellent education, thanks to the private teachers his father found for him. He subsequently studied chemistry in Paris and also in the United States. By the end of his life, he was the owner of 355 patents for various inventions. Nobel managed to live and work, in addition to his native Sweden, in Russia, France, Great Britain, Germany and Italy. He spoke fluently in five languages: Russian, English, German, French and Swedish. In addition, he was a great fan of literature, wrote poetry and composed plays.

Laureates 2018

Chemistry

Francis Arnold, USA
George Smith, USA
Gregory Winter, UK

"For his work on the directed evolution of chemical molecules."

Literature

The Nobel Prize for Literature was not awarded in 2018.

Physics

Arthur Ashkin, USA
Gerard Mourou, France
Donna Strickland, Canada

"For pioneering research in laser physics."

Medicine and physiology

James Ellison, USA
Tasuku Honjo, Japan

"For the discovery of a therapy for cancer by inhibiting negative immune regulation."

Nobel Peace Prize

Denis Mukwege, Congo
Nadia Murad, Iraq

"For their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon in war and conflict."

Economic Prize in Memory of Alfred Nobel

William Nordhaus, USA
Paul Romer, USA

"For integrating climate change and technological innovation into long-term macroeconomic analysis."

Alfred Nobel. Photo: The Nobel Foundation

The Godfather of Dynamite

His name is primarily associated with the invention of dynamite, a powerful explosive that began to be actively used in construction and the military industry during Nobel’s lifetime. This invention, behind which Alfred Nobel stood, became one of the engines of the industrial era. A certain paradox is that Nobel, having contributed to the invention of explosives and modern species weapons, at the same time he was a pacifist and recklessly believed that the creation of powerful weapons would inevitably lead to humanity’s abandonment of weapons. Many believe that Nobel bequeathed his entire fortune to the establishment of the prize, because he was burdened by his involvement in deadly inventions and wanted to rehabilitate his name after death.

Why in Norway?

In his will, Nobel insisted that the Peace Prize be awarded in Oslo, however, he left no explanation as to why there. Someone even tried to suggest that he chose Norway because he admired the talent of the Norwegian poet Bjornesterne Bjornson (who, by the way, later became a Nobel Prize laureate in literature), but there are still no serious arguments in favor of this version.

In 1905, Austrian Baroness Bertha von Suttner became the first female Nobel Peace Prize laureate, receiving the award in recognition of her services to the peace movement in Austria and Germany. In addition, Bertha was well acquainted with Nobel; they maintained a heartfelt correspondence until the end of Alfred’s life. It is known that it was she who inspired the inventor to have the Nobel Prize awarded in this category.

Later, Theodore Roosevelt (1906), Martin Luther King (1964), Mother Teresa (1979) became Nobel Peace Prize laureates, and in 1993 the prize was divided into two: Nelson Mandela and Frederik Willem de Klerk were awarded for the overthrow of the apartheid regime in South Africa. Africa.

51 women

For more than hundred year history The Nobel Prize - from 1901 to 2015 - women became its laureates 52 times. Marie Curie was awarded twice - in physics in 1903, and in chemistry in 1911.

In total, in the entire history of the award we can count:

17 Women Nobel Peace Prize Laureates
14 women Nobel Prize winners in literature
12 – in medicine and physiology
5 – in chemistry
3 – in physics
1 – Economic Prize in Memory of Alfred Nobel.

In total, since 1901, about 935 individuals and organizations have become Nobel Prize laureates. To be more precise, 904 prizes were awarded to individuals, 24 to organizations (some received the Nobel Prize several times).

Refused the Nobel Prize

Among the laureates who refused the honorary award and never appeared at the Stockholm City Hall to receive the coveted prize are the writer Jean-Paul Sartre and Boris Pasternak. The first neglected the prize because, on principle, he refused any form of public recognition of his talent, and the second was forced to reject it under pressure from the Soviet government.

Winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Literature Svetlana Alexievich. Photo: TT

Who selects candidates and how?

Applicants for Nobel Prizes are selected and considered by several scientific institutions. Namely:

For Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences the right to award Nobel Prizes in physics and chemistry is secured, and the laureate of the prize in economics in memory of Alfred Nobel is also chosen there. The Academy of Sciences was established in 1739 as an independent organization designed to develop science and promote practical application discoveries. IN present moment the Academy of Sciences has 450 Swedish and 175 foreign members.

Swedish Academy is a separate organization responsible for selecting candidates for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Founded in 1786, it consists of 18 members who are elected for life.

Nobel Committee at the Karolinska Institute annually awards the Nobel Prize to those who have made significant discoveries in the fields of medicine and physiology. Karolinska Institutet is the most authoritative scientific medical institution in Sweden, and the scientific community abroad also takes it into account. Applications for the Nobel Prize in Medicine are studied by 50 professors at the Karolinska Institutet, and they also select the laureates.

Norwegian Nobel Committee is responsible for presenting the Peace Prize - it is awarded to those who have made a significant contribution to “strengthening brotherhood between peoples, disarmament of armies and promoting ideas of peace.” The Norwegian Committee was founded in 1897 and consists of five members appointed by the Norwegian Parliament.

The deadline for submitting information about candidates to the Nobel Committee is always the same - January 31. Every year, the list of candidates for the prize in the fields of literature, physics, chemistry, medicine or physiology, as well as economics, established by the Swedish State Bank in 1968 in memory of Alfred Nobel, contains from 250 to 300 names, which can only be made public after 50 years. years.

On February 1, the Committee and a number of other institutions will launch a complex and secretive process for selecting applications and determining laureates. In the second week of October, the names of the winners are announced in a strict order - one per day, starting with the Nobel Laureate for Medicine on Monday and ending with the Peace Prize Laureate on Friday. The winner of the Alfred Nobel Prize in Economics will be announced next Monday. The laureates themselves, as a rule, learn about the award a few minutes before the start of the official press conferences.

The Economics Prize is not a Nobel Prize

It is worth clarifying that the Economics Prize, which is often considered a Nobel Prize, is in fact not such, since Alfred Nobel himself had nothing to do with its establishment. This is a prize for achievements in the field of economics in memory of Alfred Nobel, which has been awarded since 1968 by the Swedish Central Bank, on approximately the same principles as the Nobel Prizes.

So why is there no prize in mathematics?..

The story that the Nobel Prize in mathematics is not awarded because Alfred Nobel’s wife allegedly ran away with her mathematics teacher is, in fact, nothing more than a misconception. The fact is that Nobel was never married at all. According to Nobel's will, the prize should be awarded to those who made a discovery or invention that brought obvious benefits to all humanity. Thus, mathematics was excluded initially as an abstract science.

What is the Nobel Prize for?

Each laureate is awarded gold medal with the recognizable silhouette of Alfred Nobel, a diploma and a cash prize, the exact amount of which is not known, but according to existing data, it is approximately 1 million dollars or 8 million Swedish kronor. The amount may vary from year to year, and also depending on how many laureates share the award in one category.

Banquet for all banquets

The Nobel Banquet is a grandiose event that solemnly takes place every year on December 10 in the Blue Hall at Stockholm City Hall in the presence of 1,300 guests. To say that they are thoroughly preparing for this banquet means to say nothing. Hundreds of chefs working miracles in the kitchen, waiters and staff specially trained to welcome high-ranking guests from all over the world - every detail is strictly monitored here to ensure that the celebration goes smoothly. Each honoree may bring 14 guests to the banquet, in addition to spouses and partners. The banquet is always attended by one of the representatives of Alfred Nobel's family, as well as the royal family of Sweden.

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 prevent 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 ahead of schedule Alfred Nobel was buried, 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 was even awarded the 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 surrounding Nobel's refusal to award prizes 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: made in three colors of the Swedish Empire: 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 bonus 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. For a prize in different times such absolute villains as Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin were nominated.

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 regions, the Peace Prize is awarded not in Stockholm, but in Oslo.

The Nobel Prize is one of the most prestigious international awards in the field of science. It was founded by the Swedish chemical engineer Alfred Bernhard Nobel, who himself rightfully deserved the epithet “outstanding scientist.” In 1867 he invented dynamite, and in 1888 - ballistite. He was also a co-owner of many enterprises producing explosives.

"All my movable and immovable property should be converted by my executors into liquid assets, and the capital thus collected placed in a reliable bank. The income from investments should belong to a fund, which will distribute them annually in the form of bonuses to those who during the previous year brought greatest benefit to humanity. The indicated percentages 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; fourth - to the one who creates the most outstanding literary work idealistic direction; fifth, to 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 special wish that in the awarding of prizes the nationality of the candidates shall not be taken into account...”

Alfred Nobel died on December 10, 1896. However, the Nobel Foundation was officially created only in 1900. Prizes for the five items listed in the will have been awarded annually since 1901. In addition, since 1969, on the initiative of the Swedish Bank, the Nobel Prize in Economics has also been awarded.

There are many conjectures as to why Nobel left mathematics out of his will. There is, for example, a version that he “kicked mathematics out the door” for a more than disrespectful reason: his first love was the ambitious Anna Desry. The romantic and traveler Alfred Nobel was almost celebrating his victory over her heart when the diplomat’s son, Franz Lemarge, appeared on the threshold of the dance hall where their romance was unfolding. The young man was preparing to enter the Sorbonne and did not miss the opportunity to show off his remarkable abilities. Without sparing his opponent, right during the dances he invited Nobel to solve one of the tricky equations. So Nobel was left without a bride.

However executive director The Nobel Foundation, the grandson of Nobel's executor, Mikael Sulman, stated that “there is not a word about this in the archives. Rather, mathematics simply was not part of Nobel’s area of ​​interest. He bequeathed money for prizes in areas close to him.” Sulman also said that the Nobel Committee is not going to expand the number of nominations.

Referring to the question of the leading states in terms of the number of Nobel Prize laureates, the executive director of the foundation said that “before Hitler came to power, the leaders were the Germans. Then a significant part of German scientists, fleeing fascism, emigrated. The Russian Tsar, not to mention Stalin, did , so to speak, a great contribution to the development of American science. Many Jewish scientists who later became laureates of the prize came from Tsarist Russia."

For ethical reasons, the Nobel Committee is not allowed to disclose the names of talented scientists who are one step away from winning the prize. Only recently did one of the official historians decide to publish the names of some of the “losers”: these are the seventy largest world scientists. Among them are Hans Selye, who formulated the concept of stress, Sandor Koranyi, without whose research we would know nothing about the functioning of the kidneys, as well as Arnold Sommerfeld, who refined the model of the atomic nucleus, and Gilbert Lewis, who managed to obtain heavy water. , who was a little “hurried” with his discovery.

According to the rules, the Nobel Prize cannot be awarded jointly to more than three people, and it is awarded posthumously only if the applicant was alive at the time the prize was announced (usually in October), but died before December 10 of the current year (decision adopted in 1974).

Prizes are awarded not by the Nobel Foundation, but by special Nobel committees for each area, consisting of each of five people, while the committees on physics, chemistry, economics are chosen by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, on physiology and medicine - by the Royal Karolinska Medical-Surgical Institute in Stockholm, according to literature - the Swedish Academy in Stockholm, and for the peace prizes - the Norwegian parliament. The right to nominate candidates is limited to individuals and not institutions (except for the Peace Prizes).

Nobel Prize laureates from the USSR and Russia:

by Notes of the Wild Mistress

IN recent years During his lifetime, Nobel drew up several wills, in which he successively reduced the share of the inheritance for his relatives and increased the amount that the Academy of Sciences in Stockholm was to receive. One of the richest people of his time, A. Nobel, stated that large amounts of money received by inheritance lead to the dullness of the human race.

The millionaire made his last will on November 27, 1895. Relatives learned about its contents only in January 1897, when the will was opened. The text of the document shocked them. Nobel left only small amounts to those close to him, and the rest of the capital was divided into five equal parts. Interest on this money was to be allocated:

For the most important discoveries or inventions in the field of physics.

For the most important chemical inventions and improvements.

For the most important discoveries in the field of physiology and medicine.

For the most perfect works in the field of literature. For promoting the fraternal rapprochement of peoples.

Later, on the initiative of the Swedish Bank, another, sixth, Nobel Prize for achievements in economics was established.

Nobel's will specifically noted that the nationality of the applicants should not be taken into account, and the award should be given to the truly worthy one.

At the time of the death of the founder of the Nobel Prizes, his fortune was estimated at more than 30 million Swedish kronor. Relatives received 1 million in the will, about 500 thousand went to friends and servants. All other money went to the Nobel Prize fund.

On June 20, 1900, the foundation's charter was established by decree of the King of Sweden. The money was invested in profitable enterprises, targeted loans and government bonds. The profit received from them allows us to annually pay prizes to Nobel laureates. The ceremony takes place on December 10 - the day of the death of Alfred Nobel.

The first awards ceremony took place in 1901. The laureates were: German physicist W. Roentgen, Dutch chemist J. Van't Hoff, microbiologist E. von Behring from Germany, French poet R. Suly-Prudhomme. The Peace Prize was received by the initiator of the creation of the International Red Cross, the Swiss A. Dunant.

The first Russian scientist to receive the Nobel Prize was physiologist I. I. Pavlov. Members of the Nobel Committee began to become acquainted with his work in 1902. Two years later Pavlov became Nobel laureate for work "in the field of digestion"

Interesting fact, there is a widespread misconception that the Nobel Prize is not awarded to mathematicians because Alfred Nobel's wife cheated on him with a mathematician. But Alfred Nobel was never married and no one took his woman away. The prize is not given to mathematicians because Nobel believed that prized discoveries and inventions should be of direct benefit to everyone. That is, the prize was created for inventors, and mathematics was excluded as an abstract science.