What is the Nobel Prize and who awards it: how it was born, how it works and how much you win

The Nobel Prize is one of the highest global awards, awarded every year by the Swedish government to personalities who have distinguished themselves in various fields (medicine, physics, chemistry, literature, economics, peace) with studies and discoveries that have led to benefits for all humanity. The Nobel Prize institution was founded in 1895 by the Swedish scientist and inventor Alfred Nobelpartly to deny the image of a “merchant of death” that public opinion had of him (Nobel was the inventor of dynamite and other technologies used for war purposes). In his will Nobel allocated his entire fortune to the prize, and even today the honor for each field is accompanied by a cash prize of approximately 900,000 euros (to be divided in the case of multiple winners) financed by the interest accumulated on the initial capital arranged by Alfred Nobel. The first Nobel Prize was awarded in 1901. So far they have been 21 the Italians to receive this honor: the first were, in 1906, Giosuè Carducci for literature and Camillo Golgi for medicine, while the last one was Giorgio Parisi for physics in 2021; the only compatriots awarded with the Nobel were Grazia Deledda for literature in 1926 e Rita Levi-Montalcini for medicine in 1986.

Who created the Nobel Prize and its particular origin

Let’s start with him, Alfred Bernhard Nobel (Stockholm 1833 – Sanremo 1896), the creator and financier of the prizes.

Scientist prominent of19th century, Swedish by birth, Nobel is not known for having discovered some miraculous medical preparation or perhaps for having contributed to the development of the steam locomotive, but for having carried out numerous studies on explosives and nitroglycerin and having consequently invented – nothing less than, among other things – la dynamitethe explosive jelly and the ballistite (an explosive powder widely used in the past for priming firearms). As you can imagine, although these are inventions with the most varied and useful applications, one of the most popular ones was the war and military one. We know: the goodness or otherwise of every invention is judged a posteriori on the basis of its use (think for example of the whole ethical discussion on the development of nuclear energy and, consequently, also of the atomic bomb) and Nobel had many detractors… Detractors who, unintentionally, were the fuse for the creation of the awards.

We are in the 1888 and – alas – Alfred’s brother, Ludvig, passes away during an experiment. Evidently a misunderstanding communicative and in a French newspaper, thinking that Alfred has died instead, a is published obituary of the scientist, defined bluntly “merchant of death”complete with further decidedly unflattering comments. Well, the Swedish scientist – whether by chance or fate – finds himself reading ante-mortem this obituary and he is disturbed by it, so much so that he decides to find a way to leave posterity with a much better memory of himself. Thus, the November 27, 1895about a year before his death, he drew up a will in which he allocated his immense fortune, accumulated thanks to the patents of his inventions and other activities and investments, toestablishment of five annual awards to be awarded to those who, during the previous year, have made i “greater services to humanity” in the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine (or physiology) e literature and have particularly highlighted themselves in favoring the peace between different peoples.

How the awarding of Nobel Prizes works

After Nobel’s death, the executors of his will established a Foundation to manage the scientist’s assets and for the awarding of prizes. Thus, since 1901 the latter have been officially and solemnly handed over December 10th (date of the anniversary of Alfred’s passing), even if the names of the winners are announced in advance, as happened for the Nobel recently awarded to Prof. Giorgio Parisi. Furthermore, in addition to the five initial prizes (physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, peace), from 1968 the one for theeconomyestablished at its own expense by the Central Bank of Sweden.

Which bodies are appointed by the Nobel Foundation to evaluate who to award the prizes to? Various commissions within different entities deal with it. THE’Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences he is responsible for the Nobel Prize for physics, chemistry and economics; The Karolinska Institutet than that for medicine andSwedish Academy of the Nobel Prize for Literature. Who takes care of peace instead? Unlike all the others, it is assigned by a specific person Norwegian Committeemade up of five people chosen by the Oslo Parliament, and it is precisely in the capital of Norway that it is assigned, unlike the others, awarded at the Stockholm Concert Hallin Sweden. Why such a choice? You should know that from 1814 until 1905, Sweden and Norway were united under the same crown and towards the end of the 19th century it was Norway itself that was pushing for a separation. It is therefore thought that Alfred Nobel wanted to iconically award the Nobel Peace Prize to a Norwegian body precisely to encourage discussion between the parties and to reach a peaceful solution to the problem.

nobel stockholm

Can anyone win a Nobel Prize? Obviously the answer is trivial: no. First of all all prizes are awarded to natural personswith the exception of those for peace which can also be awarded to institutions and movements. Furthermore, no one can propose their candidacy directly. The list of possible winners takes shape in the period between September and January the nominations are driven by the scientific community itself (and not only): professors, scientists, academics, former Nobel Prize winners and also institutions always put a certain pressure on the evaluation committees to ensure that one candidate is chosen rather than another, always respecting – obviously – the carrying out of studies and research of unquestionable depth. In any case, the history of the awarding of prizes is not lacking episodes discussed, criticisms, refused and missed deliveries. Think, for example and above all, of the omnipresent discussions regarding the Nobel Peace Prize, where clearly the different degree of discretion and the politicization of the prize generate discontent and very conflicting opinions.

The prize money

Winning the Nobel is not only a question of prestige and recognition of one’s work, but also guarantees a substantial cash prize, equal to 9 million SEK (€885,000, at the current exchange rate), to be divided possibly among the co-winners in quotas established by the awarding committees. But where does the money come from? Is it our money? No, just think that the prizes (with the exception of the one for the economy which the Central Bank of Sweden deals with) are still financed thanks to the interest obtained on the capital donated by Alfred Nobel in his will.

Illustrious winners and Italian winners

Among the Nobel winners we find hundreds of illustrious personalities and institutions. From Marie Curie (awarded twice, for physics in 1903 and for chemistry in 1911) a Milton Friedman (economics, 1976), from Albert Einstein (physics, 1921) a Alexander Fleming (medicine, 1945), from Ernest Hemingway (literature, 1954) a Nelson Mandela (peace, 1993), not to mention, for example, the Red Cross, with 5 associated peace prizes. THE’Italyon the other hand, does not disfigure and Prof. Parisi is only the latest of one long line of brilliant mindsparticularly in the physical, medical and literary fields. To mention just one name per category, let’s remember Rita Levi-Montalcini (medicine, 1986), Enrico Fermi (physics, 1938), Giulio Natta (chemistry, 1963), Grazia Deledda (literature, 1927), Ernesto Teodoro Moneta (peace, 1907) e Franco Modigliani (economics, 1985).

Principle of authority and Nobel Prizes

Given the topic of the article, it is important to underline an issue that is very close to the heart of every scientific communicator: lIt is important not to fall into the famous principle of authority when talking or discussing scientific topics. Principle of authority? What are we referring to? Do you know when, when talking about a certain topic, to support one’s position one relies on a famous quote or on the theses – precisely – of a Nobel Prize winner? Here, if and when we do this, we are resorting to the principle of authority. Now, it is one thing if we make conscious and critical use of it and if the thoughts we report are confirmed by the relevant scientific community or by the majority of its members; it is another thing if the words of the expert in question do not find other confirmations and confirmations in the research and studies of others. Let’s be clear, that is: Nobel Prize winners are human beings and, as such, they can make even gross errors and take fireflies for lanterns, especially when they go beyond their specific field of research. Therefore, let us always be careful to make good use of reason and to consider with due respect, but also with the due dose of reason, the words of anyone, even a Nobel Prize winner.

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