Among the discoveries whose authors were awarded the Nobel Prize are x-rays, penicillin and the hadron collider. Among the Nobel Peace Prize winners is Nelson Mandela, 14th Dalai Lama. Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Selma Lagerlöf, Ernest Hemingway are just some of the outstanding writers who have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature (more recently, she became one of the Nobel Prize winners). The award has been awarded since 1901 in five categories: in physics, chemistry, physiology and medicine, in literature, as well as for achievements in the field of peacekeeping. The solemn ceremony of awarding the prize takes place annually on the same day - December 10th. Laureates in the first five nominations come to the capital of Sweden from all over the world in order to receive a gold medal and a cash prize from their hands.

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

The legacy of Alfred Nobel

The Nobel Prize is the property of the Swedish scientist, inventor and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel (1833-1896). It was he who bequeathed all his fortune to the creation of a fund, the 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 the inventor and industrialist Emmanuel Nobel, whose indefatigable energy and entrepreneurial ambitions later brought the Nobel family to St. Petersburg. There, Nobel's father worked on the development of torpedoes, and soon became interested in experiments to create 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 educational institutions, but he received an excellent education, thanks to the private teachers that 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 was fluent in five languages: Russian, English, German, French and Swedish. In addition, he was a great admirer 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

No Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded in 2018.

Physics

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

"For pioneering research in laser physics."

Medicine and physiology

James Ellison, USA
Tasuku Honjo, Japan

"for their discovery of a therapy for cancer by inhibition of negative immune regulation."

Nobel Peace Prize

Denis Mukwege, Congo
Nadia Murad, Iraq

"For his efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon in wars and conflicts."

Alfred Nobel Memorial Economic Prize

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 the life of Nobel. This invention, backed by Alfred Nobel, became one of the engines of the industrial age. A certain paradox lies in the fact that Nobel, having contributed to the invention of explosives and modern types of weapons, was at the same time a pacifist and recklessly believed that the creation of powerful weapons would inevitably lead to the rejection of weapons by mankind. Many believe that Nobel therefore bequeathed his entire fortune to the establishment of the prize, as 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 did not leave any explanation why it was there. Someone even tried to suggest that he chose Norway because he admired the talent of the Norwegian poet Bjørnesterne Bjornson (who, by the way, later won the Nobel Prize in Literature), but there are still no serious arguments in favor of this version.

In 1905, the Austrian Baroness Bertha von Suttner became the first woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, receiving the award in recognition of her services to the peace movement in Austria and Germany. In addition, Berta was well acquainted with Nobel, they kept a heartfelt correspondence until the end of Alfred's life. It is known that it was she who inspired the inventor to ensure that the Nobel Prize was awarded in this nomination as well.

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

51 women

For more than a century of history of the Nobel Prize - from 1901 to 2015 - women have become 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, one 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 winners. To be more precise, 904 awards were given to individuals, 24 to organizations (some received the Nobel Prize several times).

Rejected Nobel Prize

Among the laureates who refused the honorary award and did not appear in the Stockholm City Hall in order 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.

Nobel Prize in Literature 2015 Svetlana Aleksievich. Photo: TT

Who selects candidates and how?

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

Behind Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences the right to award the Nobel Prizes in physics and chemistry is secured, and the winner of the Alfred Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics is also chosen there. The Academy of Sciences was founded in 1739 as an independent organization designed to advance science and promote the practical application of discoveries. At present, the Academy of Sciences has 450 Swedish and 175 foreign members.

Swedish Academy- a separate organization responsible for the selection of candidates for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Founded in 1786, 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 field of medicine and physiology. The Karolinska Institute is the most respected scientific medical institution in Sweden, and the scientific community abroad also respects it. Applications for the Nobel Prize in Medicine are studied by 50 professors at the Karolinska Institute, who also choose the winners.

Norwegian Nobel Committee is responsible for presenting the Peace Prize - it is awarded to those who have made a significant contribution to "strengthening the brotherhood among peoples, disarming armies and promoting the 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 field 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 be made public only after 50 years.

Starting February 1, the Committee and a number of other institutions will launch a complex and shrouded in mystery process to select applications and determine laureates. During the second week of October, the names of the laureates are announced in strict order, one per day, starting with the Nobel Prize in Medicine winner on Monday and ending with the Peace Prize winner on Friday. The winner of the Alfred Nobel Prize in Economics will be announced the following Monday. As a rule, the laureates themselves learn about the awarding of the prize a few minutes before the start of the official press conferences.

The economics prize is not a Nobel

It is worth clarifying that the prize in economics, which is often considered a Nobel Prize, is actually not such, since Alfred Nobel himself had nothing to do with its establishment. This award is for achievements in the field of economics in memory of Alfred Nobel, which has been awarded by the Swedish Central Bank since 1968, approximately according to 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 allegedly ran away from his wife with a mathematics teacher, in fact, is nothing more than a delusion. 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 mankind. Thus, mathematics was excluded from the outset as an abstract science.

What is the Nobel Prize for?

Each laureate is awarded a gold medal with a 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 about 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 nomination.

Banquet for all banquets

The Nobel Banquet is a grandiose event that solemnly takes place annually on December 10 in the Blue Hall in the Stockholm City Hall in the presence of 1300 guests. To say that they are preparing thoroughly for this banquet means to say nothing. Hundreds of chefs working miracles in the kitchen, waiters and service staff specially trained in how to welcome high-ranking guests from all over the world - every little thing is strictly monitored here so that the celebration goes smoothly. Each laureate can bring 14 guests to the banquet, in addition to spouses and partners. The banquet is always attended by one of the representatives of the Alfred Nobel family, as well as the Swedish royal family.

The H Obel Prize is an international award that has been presented annually since 1901 for outstanding contributions to science, literature and society. The first prize in the world of its kind.

“All my movable and immovable property should be converted by my executors into liquid values, and the capital thus collected should be placed in a reliable bank. The income from investments should belong to the fund, which will distribute them annually in the form of bonuses to those who during the previous year have brought the greatest benefit to mankind ... 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 will make the most important discovery in the field of physiology or medicine; the fourth - to the one who will create the most outstanding literary work of an idealistic direction; fifth - to the one who has made the most significant contribution to the rallying of nations, the abolition of slavery or the reduction of the existing armies and the promotion of peace congresses ... My particular desire is that the nationality of candidates should not be taken into account when awarding prizes ... "

Kultura.RF compiled its own list of the most famous laureates.

Ivan Petrovich Pavlov (1849–1936)

Nobel Prize in 1904 "for his work on the physiology of digestion, expanding and changing the understanding of the vital aspects of this issue"

The first Russian Nobel laureate, an outstanding scientist, the pride of Russian science and "the first physiologist of the world", as his colleagues called him at one of the international congresses. None of the Russian scientists of that time, even Dmitri Ivanovich Mendeleev, received such fame abroad. Pavlov was called a "romantic, almost legendary person", "a citizen of the world", and a friend of the scientist, writer Herbert Wells, said about him: "This is the star that illuminates the world, shedding light on paths not yet explored."

Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov (1845–1916)

Nobel Prize 1908 for his work on immunity

The famous Russian biologist believed in the limitless possibilities of science, "which alone can lead mankind to the true path." Ilya Mechnikov is the founder of the Russian school of microbiologists and immunologists. Among his students are Alexander Bezredka, Lev Tarasevich, Daniil Zabolotny, Yakov Bardakh. Mechnikov was not only a scientist, but also a writer who left behind an extensive legacy - popular science and scientific and philosophical works, memoirs, articles, translations.

Lev Davidovich Landau (1908–1968)

Nobel Prize in 1962 "for pioneering research in the theory of condensed matter, especially liquid helium"

The outstanding Soviet scientist devoted his whole life to theoretical physics. Fascinated by science as a child, he vowed to never “smoke, drink, or marry.” The last vow did not work out: Landau was a famous womanizer. He had an inimitable sense of humor, for which he was especially adored by his students. Once at a lecture, a physicist cited his playful classification of sciences as an example, saying that "sciences are natural, unnatural and unnatural." The only non-physical theory of Lev Landau was the theory of happiness. He believed that every person should and even must be happy. To do this, the physicist deduced a simple formula that contained three parameters: work, love and communication with people.

Andrei Dmitrievich Sakharov (1921–1989)

Nobel Prize in 1975 "For the fearless support of the fundamental principles of peace between people and the courageous struggle against the abuse of power and any form of suppression of human dignity"

The well-known Soviet physicist, one of the creators of the hydrogen bomb, public figure, dissident and human rights activist did not support the general line of the party, opposed the arms race, nuclear weapons testing and demanded the abolition of the death penalty. For which he was persecuted in the Soviet Union and was deprived of all awards, and in Sweden he received the Nobel Peace Prize ...

Petr Leonidovich Kapitsa (1894–1984)

Nobel Prize 1978 "For basic research and discoveries in low temperature physics"

“I firmly believe in the internationality of science and believe that real science should be free from all political passions and struggles, no matter how much they try to involve it there. And I believe that the scientific work that I have been doing all my life is the property of all mankind, wherever I do it., - Peter Kapitsa wrote in 1935. The world famous physicist worked in Cambridge, was a full member of the Royal Society of London, founder of the Institute of Physical Problems, the first head of the Department of Low Temperature Physics of the Faculty of Physics of Moscow State University, Academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences. The famous physicist Abram Fedorovich Ioffe wrote about his student: "Pyotr Leonidovich Kapitsa, who combines a brilliant experimenter, an excellent theoretician and a brilliant engineer, is one of the brightest figures in modern physics."

Despite the generous scattering of Russian literary geniuses, only five of them managed to receive the highest award.

Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy was nominated for the prize in 1909, but never received it. The great Russian writer, back in 1906, declared that he would have refused the Nobel Prize (both in peace and in literature) if his candidacy had won: "This will save me from a great difficulty - to dispose of this award, because any money, in my opinion, brings only evil."

Ivan Bunin (1873–1953)

Nobel Prize in 1933 "For the truthful artistic talent with which he recreated in prose a typical Russian character"

The first Russian writer to receive the Nobel Prize. Bunin emigrated from revolutionary Russia and at that time had already lived in France for 13 years. Two of the Russian emigrant writers claimed the Nobel prize - Bunin and Merezhkovsky, and there were two camps of supporters, they made bets ... However, Ivan Alekseevich's victory, perhaps, upset the rivals, but not for long: thus, shaking hands with Bunin, Merezhkovsky's wife Zinaida Gippius said honestly: "I congratulate you and envy you." The main thing was that the award went to a Russian writer.

Boris Pasternak (1890–1960)

Nobel Prize in 1958 "For significant achievements in modern lyric poetry, as well as for the continuation of the traditions of the great Russian epic novel"

Having learned about the award from the personal telegram of the head of the Nobel Committee, addressed to the poet and writer, Pasternak replied: "Infinitely grateful, touched, proud, surprised, embarrassed." However, the Soviet leadership received this news extremely negatively. A campaign against the poet began, and he was forced to refuse the Nobel Prize, otherwise he could lose his citizenship and be expelled from the USSR. But the delay (Pasternak did not refuse immediately, but did it a week later) turned out to be disastrous. He became a "persecuted poet" - however, he was worried not so much about himself, but about his relatives and friends, who also began to be attacked ...

Time put everything in its place. 30 years later, on December 9, 1989, Boris Pasternak's Nobel medal was solemnly presented in Stockholm to his son Yevgeny.

Mikhail Sholokhov (1905–1984)

Nobel Prize in 1965 "For the artistic power and integrity of the epic about the Don Cossacks at a turning point for Russia"

Sholokhov should have received his award even earlier. But in 1958, the committee gave preference to the candidacy of Pasternak ... And Sholokhov was again forgotten. In 1964, the French writer Jean-Paul Sartre refused the Nobel Prize in Literature, saying that, in his opinion, Sholokhov deserved the prize. A year later, in 1965, 60-year-old Mikhail Sholokhov received a well-deserved award. Speaking in Stockholm, he said: “Art has a powerful power to influence the mind and heart of a person. I think that the artist has the right to be called the one who directs this force to create beauty in the souls of people, for the benefit of mankind..

Alexander Solzhenitsyn (1918–2008)

Nobel Prize in 1970 "For the moral strength gleaned from the tradition of great Russian literature"

Like Pasternak, Solzhenitsyn did not want to give up the coveted Nobel Prize. And in 1970, when the committee informed him about the award, he replied that he would definitely come for her personally. However, this was not destined to happen: the writer was threatened with deprivation of Soviet citizenship - and he did not go to Stockholm. True, he did not regret it at all. Studying the program of the gala evening, Solzhenitsyn sincerely did not understand: “How to talk about the main business of all life at the“ banquet table ”, when the tables are lined with dishes and everyone drinks, eats, talks ...”

Joseph Brodsky (1940–1996)

Nobel Prize in 1987 "for a comprehensive literary activity, characterized by clarity of thought and poetic intensity"

Prix ​​Nobel? Oui, ma belle,- the poet joked in 1972, long before he received the prize. Unlike his brothers in the shop - Pasternak and Solzhenitsyn, by the time of world recognition, the poet Brodsky had long lived and taught in America, since back in the early 1970s he was deprived of Soviet citizenship and expelled from the country ...

They say that the news of the Nobel Prize practically did not change the expression on his face, because the poet was sure that sooner or later, the Nobel Prize would be his. When asked by a journalist whether he considers himself a Russian or an American, Brodsky replied: "I am a Jew, a Russian poet and an English essayist". In the same year, the poet's poems were first published in the USSR in the journal Novy Mir.

What is a Nobel Prize? You 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 outstanding personalities awarded? Who makes the final decision on awarding a prize to a particular candidate? Exhaustive answers to these questions are contained in the article. It also lists the names of historical figures and writers who were once nominated for the Nobel Prize (Russian and foreign).

Who is Nobel?

Until 1901, no one knew what the Nobel Prize was. Because it simply didn't exist. The award was organized a few years after the death of Alfred Nobel. What preceded this event?

The Swedish engineer, chemist and inventor was born in 1833, the son of an impoverished descendant of the scientist Olof Rudbeck. From 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. The Nobel 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, 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, research in which led Nobel in 1863 to the invention of dynamite. Four years later, the scientist received a corresponding patent, which later allowed him to become one of the richest people in the world.

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

Death merchant

Scientists tend to be fanatical about 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 "Blood Millionaire". The restless researcher under the offensive nickname would have been remembered by the descendants, if not for one case.

One beautiful spring morning (although it may have happened in the winter frost or autumn bad weather), the world-famous scientist woke up in his Stockholm apartment and, as usual, fondly remembered the passion of his life - dynamite. In a good mood, Nobel went into the living room to drink a cup of espresso and think about a new plan to improve the technology for producing 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, in compiling an obituary, confused the creator of dynamite with his own brother. Nobel was not upset about the death of a 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 red word - "merchant of death."

Nobel Foundation

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

So, the document is ready. What does he say? After the death of Nobel, all his property must be sold, the proceeds are placed in an account in a reliable bank. The resulting profit goes to the newly established fund, which, in turn, annually distributes it according to a strict scheme, dividing it into five equal parts. Each of them constitutes a monetary award 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 relatives of the millionaire were furious when they learned about the will, and for a long time they tried to challenge its authenticity. But that's a completely different story.

Candidate Selection Rules

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

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

• Karolinska Institute (medicine or physiology award).
• 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 announcement of the committee, before he lived to see the presentation ceremony, it is reserved for him. But what if there is no worthy candidate from one area or another? In this case, the award is not awarded, and the funds are kept until the next year.

The amount of the cash prize

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

It is worth saying that the nomination for the 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. The names of the nominees are kept secret for 50 years.

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 disclosed within the framework of one article. Therefore, let's move on to the most interesting part of our story, namely, the names of the laureates of the most prestigious award. Since their list is very extensive, we will name the most famous personalities, and above all our compatriots.

Nobel Prize in Literature

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

So, Ivan Bunin in 1933 was awarded the prize for the skill that contributes to the development of classical Russian prose. Boris Pasternak after a quarter of a century - for high achievements in lyric poetry and 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 of them read it. After all, the book was banned in the USSR for a long time.

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

Andrey Sakharov

What Nobel Prize was awarded to the Soviet scientist, one of the creators of the hydrogen bomb? Prizes in physics or maybe chemistry? No. Andrei Sakharov is a laureate of the Peace Prize. 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. These once included Leo Tolstoy, Erich Maria Remarque, which is not surprising. Tolstoy is a great humanist. Remarque in his books actively criticized the fascist dictatorship. But some of the names of the Nobel Peace Prize nominees that have become famous are really puzzling. Hitler and Mussolini. The first was nominated in 1939, the second four years earlier. Lenin could also become a nominee for the Peace Prize. However, the First World War intervened.

Chemist, engineer and inventor Alfred Nobel made his fortune primarily through the invention of dynamite and other explosives. At one time, Nobel became one of the richest on the planet.

In total, Nobel owned 355 inventions.

At the same time, the fame that the scientist enjoyed cannot be called good. In 1888 his brother Ludwig died. However, by mistake, journalists wrote in the newspapers about Alfred Nobel himself. Thus one day he read his own obituary in the press, entitled "Death Dealer Is Dead." This incident made the inventor think about what kind of memory he will remain in future generations. And Alfred Nobel changed his will.

The new will of Alfred Nobel offended the relatives of the inventor, who ended up with nothing.

A new will was read out to the millionaire in 1897.

According to this paper, all movable and immovable property of Nobel was to be converted into capital, which, in turn, should be placed in a reliable bank. The income from this capital should be divided annually into five equal parts and handed over in the form of scientists who have made the most significant discoveries in the field of physics, chemistry, medicine; writers who created literary works; and also to those who have done the most significant "in rallying nations, abolishing slavery or reducing the size of armies and promoting peaceful congresses" (Peace Prize).

First laureates

Traditionally, the first award is given in the field of medicine and physiology. So the very first Nobel in 1901 was a bacteriologist from Germany, Emil Adolf von Behring, who was developing a vaccine against diphtheria.

Next, the laureate in physics receives the prize. Wilhelm Roentgen was the first to receive this award for the rays named after him.

The first Nobel Prize winner in chemistry was Jacob van't Hoff, who investigated thermodynamics for various solutions.

The first writer to receive this high honor was René Sully-Prudhom.

The Peace Prize is awarded last. In 1901 it was divided between Jean Henri Dunant and Frédéric Passy. Swiss humanist Dunant is the founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Frenchman Frederic Passy is the leader of the movement for peace in Europe.

The history of the Nobel Prize began in 1889, when the brother of the famous inventor of dynamite Alfred Nobel, Ludwig, died. Then the journalists mixed up the information and posted an obituary on the death of Alfred, calling him a death dealer in it. It was toga that the inventor decided to leave behind a softer legacy that would bring joy to those who really deserved it.

Instruction

After the announcement of the will, Nobel broke out - the relatives were against the fact that a lot of money (which, according to those in modern times) went to the fund, and did not go to them. But despite the ardent condemnation of the relatives of the inventor in 1900, the fund was still founded.

The first Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1901 in Stockholm. The winners were scientists and researchers from various fields: physics, medicine, literature. The very first person to receive such a valuable award was Wilhelm Konrad Roentgen for the discovery of a new form of energy and rays, which received his name. Interestingly, Roentgen was not at the award ceremony. He learned that he became a laureate while in Munich. Moreover, laureates usually receive the prize second, but as a sign of deep respect and recognition of the importance of the discovery made by Rentegn, he was given the prize first.

The next nominee for the same prize was the chemist Jacob van't Hoff for his research in chemical dynamics. He proved that Avogadro's law is valid and valid for dilute solutions. In addition, van't Hoff experimentally proved that the osmotic pressure in weak solutions obeys the gas laws of thermodynamics. In medicine, Emil Adolf von Behring received recognition and honor for his discovery of blood serum. This study, according to the professional community, was an important step in the treatment of diphtheria. This helped to save many human lives, which before that were simply doomed.

On Tuesday, October 2, Nobel Week begins - the announcement of the prize winners for the current year. The names of the nominees are kept in the strictest confidence, but the media and analysts do not stop wondering who will become the next owner of the prestigious award. The list of potential applicants compiled by Clarivate Analytics includes two Russian scientists. RT found out who has a chance to get the Nobel in 2017.

The announcement of the 2017 Nobel Prize winners will begin on Monday. On this day, the name of the winner of the award in the field of physiology and medicine will be known.

On October 3, the winner in physics will be announced, on October 4, in chemistry, on the 6th, the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize will be announced. On October 9, the Bank of Sweden will announce who will be awarded the prize in economic sciences. The date of the announcement of the Nobel Prize in Literature has not yet been specified.

The 2017 laureates will each receive 9 million Swedish kronor ($1.118 million), which is $18,000 more than a year earlier.

Chances for a Nobel

Nominees - about three hundred people - the Nobel Committee chooses from a list compiled on the basis of a survey of researchers and experts in a particular field. The names of contenders for the award are not disclosed - the fact of its award comes as a surprise even to the laureates. Those who were nominated for the Nobel, but did not receive it, will be able to find out about it only after 50 years: that is how long the names of the nominees are kept secret.

It is extremely difficult to predict who will receive the award. However, analysts continue to express their assumptions. The most accurate predictions are made by Clarivate Analytics (formerly the science and intellectual property division of Thomson Reuters): over the 15 years of research, 43 people from its list of "most cited scientists of the year" have become laureates of the award.

Exact sciences

According to the organization, a Russian astrophysicist, chief researcher at the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences Rashid Alievich Sunyaev claims the Nobel in physics. Since 1995, Sunyaev has been director of the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics in Garching (Germany). He is also a visiting professor at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton (USA).

According to Clarivate Analytics, Sunyaev can receive the award for "a fundamental contribution to our understanding of the Universe, including its origin, galaxy formation processes, disk accretion onto black holes, and many other cosmological phenomena."

Also on the list of possible laureates are Mitchell Feigenbaum from Rockefeller University (for discoveries in the field of nonlinear and chaotic physical systems and the determination of the Feigenbaum constant) and a group of three scientists (Phaedon Avuris from the Thomas Watson Research Center in the USA, Cornelis Dekker from the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands and Paul McEwan from Cornell University in the USA), who made a great contribution to the development of carbon electronics.

Another Russian, a leading researcher at the Institute of Chemical Physics (ICP) them. N. N. Semenov RAS Georgy Borisovich Shulpin, noted among the contenders for the "Nobel" in chemistry.

Shulpin, along with UC Berkeley staff Robert Bergman and John Bercow, has done tremendous work in the field of carbon-hydrogen functionalization.

Henry Sneith (Oxford University), Nam-Gyu Park (Seoul Sungkyunkwan University) and Tsutomu Miyasaki (Toin University in Yokohama, Japan) have a chance to receive the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery and application of perovskite materials for efficient energy conversion. Jens Norskov of Stanford University may be honored for his achievements in the field of heterogeneous catalysis of solid surfaces.

Among the possible winners for the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine are three American scientists and one British. Professor of Oncobiology at the Cancer Center. Sandra and Edward Meier in New York, the prize may be awarded for the discovery of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway and its role in tumor growth. To one of the world's most influential neurophysiologists and fellow at University College London, Carl Friston, for "fundamental contributions to the analysis of brain imaging data, in particular through statistical parametric mapping and voxel-based morphometry." To Yuan Chang and Patrick S. Moore of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine for the discovery of the herpes virus associated with Kaposi's sarcoma, or human herpesvirus.

The organization provides a list and likely candidates for the Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences (unofficially - the Nobel Prize in Economics). In 2017, among them are exclusively employees of American universities.

Peace Fighters

The Nobel Peace Prize, like the Literature Prize, is bypassed by Clarivate Analytics. But the list of “guesses” is published by the directors of the Norwegian Institute for Peace Research PRIO.

The recently published "shortlist" of the current head of PRIO, Henrik Urdal, consists of five points.

In the first place in the short list of the head of PRIO are Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and the head of EU diplomacy Federica Mogherini - the organizers of negotiations to resolve the situation around the Iranian nuclear program.

“They are working hard to undo the aftermath of the war in conflict zones like Syria, Afghanistan and South Sudan.

This is followed by the Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet and its editor-in-chief Can Dundar. According to Urdal, awarding the Nobel Prize to Dündar and his publication would be an incentive to strengthen press freedom and civil society in a country where such things are "becoming a rarity."

The PRIO director believes that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) can also receive the award for the efforts made to ensure stability and maintain peace in the region. The White Helmets organization and its leader Raed Saleh closes the list of possible laureates.

In addition, PRIO has published a list of more than forty people and organizations that, according to the Norwegian Institute, may also be nominated for the award. Among them are Russian President Vladimir Putin, American and Kazakh leaders Donald Trump and Nursultan Nazarbayev, as well as other well-known politicians.