One of key events in public and intellectual life Sweden - Nobel Day is the annual presentation of the Nobel Prize, which takes place on December 10 at Stockholm's Studhuset (city hall).

These awards are internationally recognized as the most honorable civilian distinction. The Nobel Prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature and Economics are presented to the laureates by His Majesty the King of Sweden at a ceremony held on the anniversary of the death of Alfred Nobel (December 10, 1896).

Each laureate receives gold medal with a picture of Nobel and a diploma. Currently, the Nobel Prize is worth 10 million Swedish kronor (about 1.05 million euros or $1.5 million).

The Prizes in Chemistry, Physics and Economics are awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the Prizes in Medicine are awarded by the Karolinska Institutet, and the Swedish Academy awards the Prize in Literature. The only non-Swedish prize, the Peace Prize, is awarded in Oslo by the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

By the way, Nobel signed the last version of the famous will almost a year before his death - on November 27, 1895 in Paris. It was announced in January 1897: “All my movable and immovable property must be converted by my executors into liquid assets, and the capital thus collected must be placed in a reliable bank. The income from the 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 humanity... The specified percentages must be divided by five equal parts, which are intended: one part - to the one who does 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; the fourth - to the one who creates the most outstanding literary work of an idealistic direction; fifth - to the one who contributed the most significant contribution in 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 Bernhard Nobel, Swedish inventor, industrial magnate, linguist, philosopher and humanist, was born in 1833 in Stockholm into a Swedish family. In 1842, his family moved to St. Petersburg, the capital of what was then Russia. Nobel received an excellent education of international class. He read, wrote, spoke and understood equally well at 5 European languages: Swedish, Russian, English, French and German. Nobel went down in history as the inventor of dynamite, a substance that played an important role in the development of world industry.

During his life, Alfred Nobel became the owner of 355 patents, which formed the basis of about 90 enterprises in 20 countries. His brothers Robert and Louis, who worked in Russia and later in Baku in the oil fields, contributed to his fortune. Alfred Nobel bequeathed $4 million (currently equivalent to $173 million) to be used as prizes in the fields of physics, chemistry, physiology and medicine. These areas were close to him, and in them he expected the greatest progress.

He did not bequeath prizes to architects, musicians and composers. Literature prizes also reflect Nobel's personal interests. In his youth he wrote poetry and poems in English and Swedish, and throughout his life he was a voracious reader in all languages ​​accessible to him.The prizes in the field of science and literature were to be awarded in Sweden, and the peace prize - in Norway. The history of the Nobel Prize, the fund of which amounted to 31 million crowns, began with this will.

A year later, on December 10, 1896, Alfred Nobel died in Italy from a stroke. Later this date will be declared Nobel Day. After opening the will, it turned out that almost all of Nobel’s fortune was inaccessible to his relatives, who were counting on this money.

Even the Swedish king Oscar II showed dissatisfaction, who did not want finances to leave the country, even in the form of awards for world achievements. Objective bureaucratic difficulties also arose. The practical implementation of Nobel's will turned out to be very difficult, and under certain conditions the prizes might not take place.

But soon all obstacles were overcome, and in June 1898, Nobel’s relatives signed an agreement to renounce further claims to the capital. The main provisions related to the awarding of prizes also received approval from the Swedish government. In 1900, the Charter of the Nobel Foundation and the rules regulating the activities of the Nobel structures being created were signed by the King of Sweden. The prize was first awarded in 1901.

Nobel Prize became the most prestigious award in the field of physics, chemistry, physiology, medicine, economics, literature and activities to establish peace between nations. It is paid once a year from the funds of the fund created according to the will of Alfred Nobel. More than 600 people became Nobel Prize laureates during the 20th century.

Awarding awards does not always meet with universal approval. In 1953, Sir Winston Churchill received a literary prize, while the famous American writer Graham Greene never received it.

Each country has its own national heroes and often the award or non-award is disappointing. The famous Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren was never nominated for the prize, and the Indian Mahatma Gandhi never won the prize. But Henry Kissinger won the Peace Prize in 1973 - a year after vietnam war. There are known cases of refusal of the prize for reasons of principle: the Frenchman Jean Paul Sartre refused the literary prize in 1964, and the Vietnamese Le Dick Tho did not want to share it with Kissinger.

The Nobel Prizes are unique awards and are particularly prestigious. The question is often asked why these awards attract so much more attention than any other awards of the 20th century. One reason may be the fact that they were introduced in a timely manner and that they noted some fundamental historical changes in society. Alfred Nobel was a true internationalist, and from the very foundation of the prizes named after him, the international nature of the awards made a special impression. Strict rules for the selection of laureates, which began to apply since the establishment of the prizes, also played a role in recognizing the importance of the awards in question. As soon as the election of the current year's laureates ends in December, preparations begin for the election of next year's laureates. Such year-round activities, in which so many intellectuals from all over the world participate, orient scientists, writers and public figures to work in the interests of social development, which precedes the awarding of prizes for “contribution to human progress.”

The first Nobel banquet took place on December 10, 1901, simultaneously with the first presentation of the prize. Currently, the banquet is held in the Blue Hall of the City Hall. 1300-1400 people are invited to the banquet. Dress code: tailcoats and evening dresses. The menu development involves the participation of chefs from the Town Hall Cellar (a restaurant at the Town Hall) and culinary specialists who have ever received the title of Chef of the Year. In September, three menu options are tasted by members Nobel Committee who decide what will be served “at Nobel’s table.” The only dessert that is always known is ice cream, but until the evening of December 10, no one except a narrow circle of initiates knows what kind.

For the Nobel banquet, specially designed dinnerware and tablecloths are used. A portrait of Nobel is woven on the corner of each tablecloth and napkin. Handmade tableware: along the edge of the plate there is a stripe of three colors of the Swedish Empire - blue, green and gold. The stem of the crystal wine glass is decorated in the same color scheme. The banquet service was commissioned for $1.6 million for the 90th anniversary of the Nobel Prizes in 1991. It consists of 6,750 glasses, 9,450 knives and forks, 9,550 plates and one tea cup. The last one is for Princess Liliana, who doesn't drink coffee. The cup is stored in a special beautiful wooden box with the princess's monogram. The saucer from the cup was stolen.

The tables in the hall are arranged with mathematical precision, and the hall is decorated with 23,000 flowers sent from San Remo. All movements of the waiters are strictly timed down to the second. For example, the ceremonial bringing in of ice cream takes exactly three minutes from the moment the first waiter appears with a tray at the door until the last of them stands at his table. Other dishes take two minutes to serve.

Exactly at 19 o'clock on December 210, the guests of honor, led by the king and queen, descend the stairs to the Blue Hall, where all the invitees are already sitting. The Swedish king is holding a Nobel laureate on his arm, and if there is not one, the wife of a Nobel laureate in physics. The first to toast is to His Majesty, the second to the memory of Alfred Nobel. After this, the secret of the menu is revealed. The menu is printed in small print on cards included with each location and features Alfred Nobel's profile in gold embossing. There is music throughout the dinner - very famous musicians are invited, including Rostropovich and Magnus Lindgren in 2003.

The banquet ends with the delivery of ice cream, crowned with a chocolate monogram “N” like a crown. At 22:15 the Swedish king gives the signal for the start of dancing in the Golden Hall of the Town Hall. At 1:30 the guests leave.

Absolutely all dishes from the menu, from 1901 onwards, can be ordered at the Stockholm Town Hall restaurant. This lunch costs a little less than $200. Every year they are ordered by 20 thousand visitors, and traditionally the most popular menu is the last Nobel banquet.

The Nobel concert is one of the three components of the Nobel week, along with the presentation of prizes and the Nobel dinner. It is considered one of the main musical events of the year in Europe and the main musical event of the year in the Scandinavian countries. The most prominent classical musicians of our time take part in it. In fact, there are two Nobel concerts: one is held on December 8 of each year in Stockholm, the second in Oslo at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony. The Nobel concert is broadcast on several international television channels on December 31 of each year.Quote from the message Vladimir_Grinchuv

Nobel Prize

The Nobel Committee announced this year's laureates in chemistry, physics, economics, medicine and biology, and also awarded the Peace Prize. At the same time, the essence scientific discoveries, awarded Nobel, is often unclear to people far from the world of science. The Village asked a physicist, biologist, chemist, economist and country specialist Latin America V in simple words explain why they gave Nobel this year and how these discoveries can be useful for you and me.

French scientists win Nobel Prize in Chemistry Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Frazer Stoddart and Bernard Feringa for the design and synthesis of molecular machines.

When we talk about molecular machines, we are talking about so-called catenane molecules linked to each other in the form of a chain. It turned out that if you create many such cyclic pairs, that is, a long chain, then the rotation of these rings relative to each other leads to the movement of the molecule forward. This is how a molecular machine is created.

This year, the Nobel Prize was awarded to three laureates, working independently of each other. One first synthesized a simple combination of two rings and showed that they could move forward by moving relative to each other. The second one took one molecule in the form of a rod and put several more rings on this rod. And it turned out that under the right conditions, the rings spinning around this rod can rise up. And the third researcher created a combination, and his molecular machine can move in different sides like a helicopter that rises upward due to the rotation of the propeller. A molecular machine will work on the same principle.

Imagine a microwave. We place a cup of water on a stand, and it begins to spin from the energy provided by the electrical device. It turned out that molecular machines will also be able to set objects in motion, and those objects that exceed the weight of these machines by thousands and even millions of times.

Molecular machines will not be put into practice today or next year. But these discoveries will give impetus to new research to create more powerful mechanisms. It's like the discovery of a laser beam that can charge a mobile phone at a distance of two to three kilometers. It would seem that this is not such a discovery. And then it turned out that with the same laser beam with a different power it is possible to charge spaceships. Several years have passed from one experiment to another, and it will certainly be the same with molecular machines.

Molecular machines can be used in any device that will move heavier objects. One of the scientists demonstrated the movement of a liter flask on a device that moved thanks to catenanes. We are talking about the prospect of using these machines in a variety of fields - in biology, medicine, and Food Industry. For example, with the help of molecular machines we will be able to deliver drugs into the body. Such a small molecule, consisting of only two rings, will be able to deliver the drug precisely to the target.

Valery Petrosyan

professor of the department organic chemistry, Head of the Laboratory of Physical Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Moscow State University. M. V. Lomonosova

Tokyo Professor received the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology University of Technology Yoshinori Ohsumi for discoveries in the field of cell autophagy
Nikolay Kontarov

Candidate of Biological Sciences, Senior Researcher medical university named after Sechenov

Autophagy is the degradation of proteins which results in cell death. It is associated with a process such as apoptosis, that is, programmed cell death. If death occurs as a result of some external reasons, this is called necrosis. For example, inflammation occurs and because of it the cell dies. But there are times when a cell decides to leave on its own - this is something like suicide, and one of the ways of such cellular suicide is autophagy.

There comes a time when the cell simply cannot support itself and begins to wear out. At this point, it must leave using the autophagy mechanism. But sometimes apoptosis occurs for unknown reasons, and this leads to neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. If a person’s autophagy mechanism is impaired, the cells degrade quite slowly and eventually become redundant. And harmful changes can occur in such cells. For example, a cell cannot provide itself with enzymes that ensure DNA repair, and this can provoke mutations and breaks, and subsequently a tumor.

There are two modes of autophagy. The first is due to the presence of protosomes, that is, protein complexes that are involved in the degradation of other cellular proteins. Thus, when all proteins are degraded, the cell dies.
For the study of this mechanism, the Nobel Prize was given in 2004.

In parallel, research was carried out on the problem of protein degradation in membrane-coated structures, that is, in lysosomes. They undergo protein degradation, which also leads to cell death. That is, the end goal is the same, but the process is different. In one case, proteins in protosomes take part in the process, and in the other, proteins are degraded inside the membrane structure of the lysosome. Actually, the current Nobel is dedicated to the latter.

The practical application of this discovery concerns primarily medicine, in particular the study of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. It is believed that in these diseases, the formation of similar structures occurs in nerve cells, but why? nerve cells decide to die themselves is still unclear.

The scientific community hopes that a new mechanism of autophagy will shed light on this. On the other hand, the discovery can be applied in embryology. This is important in light of the growing popularity of in vitro fertilization. Knowing the mechanism of autophagy means that we will be able to control the process of embryo formation.

Briton wins Nobel Prize in Economics Oliver Hart and Finn Bengt Holmström for his contribution to the development of contract theory

The concept of "contract theory" looks unusual for those who are not professionally involved in this problem. Essentially, we are talking about how the parties to a contract approach determining its essential terms without having all the necessary information. It is interesting that the laureates were able to present in the form of a mathematical model that part of the contract that is known to the participants by default, but for various reasons cannot be put on paper and, accordingly, is not the subject of legal proceedings.

Many people believe that the topic of contracts has more to do with jurisprudence than with economics, but trust is this moment- one of the key economic categories. Higher risks and, accordingly, a lower degree of trust between the parties to the contract imply a higher price. For example, in Russian conditions, due to a lack of trust, interest rates on loans remain very high, projects based on public-private partnerships are not implemented, and the demand for state-owned property planned for privatization is low.

Practical use the research results of nominees Oliver Hart and Bengt Holström will help improve the conditions for the implementation of contracts for each of the participants, that is, increase the level of trust between them. The widespread use of these principles can lead to a reduction in contract prices and become one of the factors in reducing inflation.

Nevertheless, the choice of winners was rather unexpected. Most experts were inclined to believe that the Nobel Prize in Economics would be given for fundamental macroeconomic research or for the development of the theory of motivation.

Andrey Margolin

Vice-Rector of RANEPA, Doctor economic sciences

An American won this year's Nobel Prize in Physics David Thoules, British Duncan Haldane and Scotsman Michael Kosterlitz for theoretical discoveries of topological phase transitions and topological phases of matter
Alexander Golubov

Head of the Laboratory of Topological Quantum Phenomena in Superconducting Systems, MIPT

Kosterlitz and Thaules and independently of them, the Soviet theoretical physicist Vadim Berezinsky in the early 1970s described a model of the state of a two-dimensional film in a superconducting system - that is, in a metal that loses electrical resistance at very low temperatures. Before this, it was believed for a long time that superconductivity was impossible in a two-dimensional system.

Scientists have proven the possibility of the existence of superconductivity in a two-dimensional system and shown an interesting topological phase transition between the superconducting phase at low temperatures and the normal phase at high temperatures. They differ in that when low temperatures vortices are spontaneously generated magnetic flux- more precisely, a pair of vortices that collapse at high temperatures and form single vortices.

What is a topological phase transition? Self mathematical definition“topological” means the continuity of various objects during deformation: for example, if we use the terminology of donuts and holes, then a clay ball and a bowl molded from it are objects of the same topology that can be transferred from one to another by transformation without breaks.
But a clay ball and a clay donut are bodies of different topologies: in order to get a donut, you need to make a hole in the ball.

A common phase transition can be observed, for example, during the melting of metals, when they pass from a solid to a liquid state. This transition changes crystal lattice metal and moves its atoms slightly, but does not make any fundamental changes to it internal state, does not change the topology. The topological phase transition changes geometric properties system and that's enough unusual phenomenon. And it is the vortices shown by Kosterlitz and Thaules that change the topology of the object.

The discovery of topological phase transitions could lead to the creation of a quantum computer, which could be much more powerful than modern computers. A regular computer works in binary system: the information in it is encoded by the numbers 0 and 1. A quantum processor is an analog system; it obeys not only zeros and ones, but has a greater degree of freedom. Thus, additional methods for encoding information and conducting parallel calculations arise. In addition, a conventional computer runs on silicon conductors, but a quantum one requires a different material base, which scientists have not yet been able to find.

There is a lot of work currently being done on a quantum computer. different groups scientists, and some have already almost created it, but there is a problem with the work time. Scientists who design qubits - the smallest information storage elements in a quantum computer - are thinking about how to preserve their quantum state for a long time, because it is easily destroyed by interaction with external environment. And this leads to calculation errors.

It's been 52 years now Colombia is engulfed in a real civil war. Or rather, it's not so much Civil War how much confrontation between ruling forces countries on the one hand and a number of terrorist organizations on the other, which at first hid behind the Marxist-Leninist banner, and after the fall of the USSR began to engage in arms trafficking, drugs and kidnapping. We periodically tried to conduct a dialogue with them, but there was no result.

In the end, the entire world community demanded that Colombia resolve this issue, especially since the conflict between state armed forces and terrorists claimed more than 200 thousand lives, and more than 4 million Colombians were forced to move to other places. Neighboring states also suffered because terrorist organizations violated borders, a fundamental problem given the local landscape. In addition, the terrorists made huge money from drugs and weapons smuggling, so it was easy for them to support themselves and attract young people into their ranks. Imagine a poor young Brazilian who is given 20 thousand dollars and a rifle in his hands. Of course, he will agree to join the ranks of the radicals.

Colombia's last president, Juan Manuel Santos, tried to put an end to this. For four years, on neutral territory in Cuba, the Colombian government and the country's largest terrorist organization, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, negotiated. Eventually they reached an agreement that the terrorists would lay down their arms and cease their activities. They were even offered to provide several seats in the Colombian Congress so that they could establish their own political party. After this, the president decided to hold a referendum on this agreement - so that Colombian citizens could speak out whether they agree or not.

However, the majority of Colombians said “no” in the referendum. The fact is that this long-term confrontation affected every Latin American family, because so many people died. And those who said “no” at the referendum actually spoke out against impunity for criminals: these people believed that especially cruel terrorists should still be punished.

The fact that the truce was achieved at the cost of enormous efforts gave the President of Colombia the right to deservedly receive the Nobel Peace Prize. But on the other hand, the second phase of negotiations is now just beginning, where options for punishment for the leaders of terrorist organizations will be discussed.

Vladimir Sudarev

Deputy Director of the Institute of Latin American Countries of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Nobel Prizes- annual international awards named after their founder, Swedish chemical engineer, inventor and industrialist Alfred Bernhard Nobel.

The Nobel Prize is awarded annually for achievements in the following areas of human activity:

  • Physics - since 1901, Sweden;
  • Chemistry - since 1901, Sweden;
  • Medicine and physiology - since 1901, Sweden;
  • Literature - since 1901, Sweden;
  • Defense of peace - since 1901, Norway.
  • Economy - since 1969, Sweden;

Will.

In 1889, a dark incident occurred that left a deep imprint on Alfred's soul. One of the journalists confused Alfred Nobel with his recently deceased brother Ludwig. In his own obituary, Alfred was called a merchant of death. It is believed that this event prompted Alfred Nobel to decide to leave something more valuable than dynamite after his death.

"I, the undersigned Alfred Bernhard Nobel, having considered and decided, hereby declare my last wishes regarding the property acquired by me at the time of my death.

(...)*
* The part of Nobel's will that lists donations to private individuals is omitted here.

All realizable property remaining after me must be distributed as follows: my executors must transfer the capital to securities, creating a fund, the interest from which will be given in the form of a bonus to those who, during the previous year, have brought the greatest benefit to humanity. The said percentages should be divided into five equal parts, which are intended: the first part to the one who made the most important discovery or invention in the field of physics, the second - to the one who made a major discovery or improvement in the field of chemistry, the third - to the one who achieved outstanding success in the field of physiology or medicine, the fourth - to the one who created the most significant literary work reflecting human ideals, the fifth - to the one who will make a significant contribution to the unity of peoples, the abolition of slavery, the reduction of the size of existing armies and the promotion of a peace agreement. Prizes in physics and chemistry should be awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, in physiology and medicine by the Royal Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, in literature by the Swedish Academy in Stockholm, and the peace prize by a five-member committee elected by the Norwegian Storting. My special wish is that the awarding of prizes is not influenced by the nationality of the candidate, so that the most deserving ones receive the prize, regardless of whether they are Scandinavian or not.
This will is the last and final will, it has legal force and cancels all my previous wills, if any are discovered after my death. Finally, my last mandatory requirement is that after my death, a competent doctor clearly establishes the fact of death, and only after that my body should be burned. Paris, November 27, 1895, Alfred Bernhard Nobel

Herr Alfred Bernhard Nobel, being of sound mind, voluntarily signed this will, to which we all testify in his presence, appending our signatures to this document:

Sigurd Ehrenborg, retired lieutenant,
R.V. Strelenert, civil engineer,
Tos Nordenfelt, designer,
Leonard Wass, civil engineer."

Scandal.

After the announcement of the will, a scandal broke out. One by one they started trials. According to the most conservative estimates, the value of Nobel's property was estimated at 33,233,792 Swedish kronor (about sixty-two million pounds sterling at the current exchange rate), and all this money went to create a fund! The heirs were left with a donut hole - about two million for all. Pure nonsense, considering the number of applicants.

All of Alfred Nobel's property was scattered all over the world: a mansion in Nice, a house in Paris, countless workshops, factories and laboratories in Finland, Russia, Germany, Italy, England... To carry out the will of the deceased, they hastily put together a whole group of lawyers who, legs wandered around the world, trying to sell property without unnecessary bureaucratic delays. The situation was aggravated by the fact that during his lifetime Nobel managed to ruin relations with many governments. In France, for example, the inventor of dynamite was generally considered a military spy. And in Sweden itself the king publicly condemned him. In addition, the absent-minded Alfred did not even bother to have his will certified by a notary, which gave his relatives an excellent reason to sue for millions!

Foundation establishment.

4 years after Alfred's death in 1900, despite all the troubles, the Nobel Foundation was created.

The status of the Nobel Foundation and special rules governing the activities of the awarding institutions were promulgated at a meeting of the Royal Council on June 29, 1900 (after lengthy discussions during which various members of the organizations mentioned in the will expressed their doubts, citing the vagueness of the wording of the will) . This date can be considered the official birthday of the Foundation.

It is known that the initial capital of the Foundation amounted to about 31 million Swedish crowns, which were divided into two parts: the first - about 28 million crowns - became the main fund. With the remaining money, the Nobel Foundation purchased a building in which it is still located. The Fund's funds are replenished from income from investment activities and charitable donations.

The first Nobel Prizes were awarded on December 10, 1901. The political unity of Sweden with Norway, after lengthy debates, took shape in 1905. The current special rules for the organization awarding the Nobel Peace Prize, i.e. for the Norwegian Nobel Committee, dated April 10, 1905.

In 1968, on the occasion of its 300th anniversary, the Swedish Bank proposed a prize in the field of economics. After some hesitation, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences accepted the role of awarding institution (the Nobel Foundation board subsequently decided not to increase the number of nominations), in accordance with the same principles and rules that applied to the original Nobel Prizes. The prize, which was established in memory of Alfred Nobel, will be awarded on December 10, following the presentation of other Nobel laureates. Officially called the Alfred Nobel Prize in Economics, it was first awarded in 1969.

Procedure for awarding prizes.

A. Nobel did not leave instructions on how to select scientists for the award. The rules were developed after his death and have remained virtually unchanged since then.

The prize cannot be awarded jointly to more than three people (this was decided in 1968) and can only be awarded posthumously if the applicant was alive at the time the prize was announced (usually in October) but died before 10 December of this year (the decision was made in 1974).

Prizes are awarded not by the Nobel Foundation itself, but by special Nobel committees for each area, which play a decisive role in the process of selecting laureates. Each committee consists of five members, but may seek assistance from experts in other fields of science.

To select candidates for the prize in the field of literature, submissions are sent from specialists in the field of literature and linguistics - members of academies and societies. To obtain proposals for candidates for the Peace Prize, contacts are made with representatives of such sciences as philosophy, history, law and political science, as well as with active public figures. Some specialists receive the right to individually nominate an applicant; Among such persons are previous Nobel Prize laureates, members of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the Nobel Assembly of the Karolinska Institute and the Swedish Academy.

Approved proposals must be received by February 1 of the award year. From this day on, the work of the Nobel Committees begins: until September, committee members and consultants evaluate the qualifications of candidates for the award. Committees meet several times, hearing proposals from various committee members and outside experts. Every year in preparatory work Several thousand specialists are involved.

When the preliminary work is completed, the committee approves its reports and recommendations (remaining secret for now) on the relevant candidates and transmits them to the awarding authorities, which must alone make the final decision.

From September or early October, the Nobel Committees are ready to further work. In the fields of physics, chemistry and economic sciences they confirm their reports to the corresponding "classes" of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, each of which has about 25 members. The classes then send their recommendations to the academy for a final decision.

Procedure for awarding the Prize in Physiology and Medicine similar, except that the Nobel Committee's recommendation is sent directly to the Nobel Assembly (with 50 members) at the Karolinska Institutet.

When deciding the fate of the prize in literature The 18 members of the Swedish Academy make a decision based on a proposal from the Nobel Committee.

Decision to award the Peace Prize carried out independently by the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

In October, final elections of candidates take place in the various assemblies. The winners undergo final approval and are announced to the whole world during a press conference in Stockholm, which is attended by representatives of all major news agencies. The reasons for the award are also briefly stated. As a rule, press conferences are attended by specialists from various fields of science and technology, who can provide more complete explanations regarding the achievements of the laureates and the significance of their contribution to global progress. Subsequently, the Nobel Foundation invites the laureates and their families to Stockholm and Oslo on December 10.

Prizes in physics, chemistry, physiology and medicine, literature and economics are presented in Copenhagen in the Concert Hall by the King of Sweden, the Nobel Peace Prize is presented by the Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee in Oslo in the presence of the King of Norway and members of the royal family.

The award includes a gold medal, a diploma and a cash award. The laureates present Nobel lectures, published in a special publication “Nobel Laureates”.

As soon as the awards ceremony for the current year's laureates ends in December, preparations begin for the election of next year's candidates.

Curiosities of the Nobel Prizes.

Archives also show that the Nobel Committee repeatedly postponed awarding the prize to Albert Einstein for the theory of relativity. Committee member A. Gullstrand, laureate of the 1911 Prize in Physiology and Medicine, believed that the theory of relativity would not stand the test of time. And a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and the Nobel Committee for Physics B. Hasselberg, protesting against awarding the prize to Einstein for general theory relativity, wrote in 1921: “It is extremely unlikely that Nobel had in mind such speculation as this.” As a result, the Academy postponed awarding the prize that year altogether. The following year, a young member of the academy, K.V. Oseen nevertheless proposed to award the 1921 prize to Einstein, but not for the theory of relativity, but for the discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect, which was proven experimentally.

In some cases, decisions to award prizes were erroneous. Thus, in 1949, the Portuguese neurosurgeon A.E. received the prize in physiology or medicine. Monitz for the brain surgery he developed in 1935 (prefrontal lobotomy). However, many doctors believed that it did more harm than good. The Portuguese government banned this operation, and then it was abandoned in other countries.

S. Jarlskog, who headed the Nobel Committee in Physics until 1999, believes that truly deserving candidates for the prize differ from random ones in that they are nominated from year to year. “It is better to take the time to award a prize than to make a mistake,” she says. “However, because of the rule against awarding a prize posthumously, even an obvious candidate must have good health to wait for this award."

Particularly criticized is the rule prohibiting the awarding of prizes in one field of science to more than three scientists at the same time. Particularly heated debates flared up three years ago, when the Nobel Prize for research into the regulatory role of nitric oxide in the cardiovascular system was awarded to three scientists from the USA - F. Murad, R. Furchgott and L. Ignarro. However, no less contribution to the study biological role Nitric oxide was added by A.F. Vanin (Russia) and S. Moncada, Director of the Institute of Biomedical Research in University of London, who did not receive the award.

When preparing this article, materials from the following sites were used:

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. His brother Ludwig died in 1888. However, by mistake, journalists wrote in newspapers about Alfred Nobel himself. Thus one day he read his own obituary in the press, entitled “The Merchant of Death is Dead.” This incident made the inventor think about what kind of memory will remain of him in future generations. And Alfred Nobel changed his will.

Alfred Nobel's new will greatly offended the inventor's relatives, who were left with nothing in the end.

The millionaire's new will was announced in 1897.

According to this paper, all of Nobel's movable and immovable property 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 awarded in the form of scientists who have made the most significant discoveries in the field of physics, chemistry, and medicine; writers who created literary works; and to those who have made the most significant contribution "to the unity of nations, the abolition of slavery, or the reduction of existing armies, and the promotion of peace congresses" (Peace Prize).

First laureates

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

The laureate in physics receives the prize next. Wilhelm Roentgen was the first to receive this award for the discovery of rays named after him.

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

The first writer to be awarded this high award, became René Sully-Prude.

The Peace Prize is awarded to the latter. In 1901 it was divided between Jean Henry Dunant and Frédéric Passy. Swiss humanitarian Dunant is the founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Frenchman Frederic Passy is a leader of the peace movement in Europe.

Alfred Nobel bequeathed 94% of his fortune to organize prizes in five areas of knowledge that were interesting to him. Read more about what the prize is awarded for, what Alfred Nobel is generally known for, and why there is no Nobel Prize in mathematics.

What is Alfred Nobel famous for?

Many people know Alfred Nobel only as the person after whom the prize is named, which is awarded annually in several areas. This one was born a famous person in the first half of the nineteenth century, and died four years before its end. Alfred Nobel owns 355 different patents, his most famous invention being dynamite. This Swedish chemist, inventor, engineer and entrepreneur was also involved in charity work.

Alfred Nobel lived part of his life in Russia; from his youth he spoke four languages ​​fluently: English, German, French and Russian. After seven years of living in St. Petersburg, Alfred's father sent him to study in the United States, Russian chemist Nikolai Zinin advised him to do so. Along the way, the young man visited several European countries, and when he arrived in the United States, he worked for the inventor John Ericsson, who designed the battleship Monitor, the Noverti locomotive and became the owner of several other patents. Nobel filed his first American patent for a gas meter in 1857, but the first patent he received was for determining methods for producing gunpowder (1863).

Upon returning to Russia, Alfred Nobel took over the affairs of the family company, which carried out orders for the Russian army. The Crimean War contributed to the company's prosperity, but after it the factories were unable to return to normal production, and the family declared itself bankrupt. Nobel's parents returned to Sweden, and he devoted himself to studying explosives. In 1863 he invented the detonator, in 1867 - dynamite. In total, he patented 355 inventions.

History of the establishment of the Nobel Prize

In 1888, when Nobel's brother died, newspapers mistakenly announced the death of Albert himself, and not his brother. When he read his own obituary, “The Merchant of Death is Dead,” in a French newspaper, he began to think seriously about how he would be remembered by humanity. After this, he decided to change his will.

Nobel's will stipulated that all movable and immovable property of the drafter should be converted into monetary units, which should be placed in a reliable financial institution. All income must belong to a specially created fund, which will distribute it in the form of cash bonuses to those who last year brought the greatest benefit to human society. His special wish was that the nationality of the candidate should not be taken into account when awarding prizes.

At first the paper was received with skepticism. Relatives of Alfred Nobel called themselves offended and demanded that the document be officially declared illegal. The Nobel Foundation and the presentation of the prizes were organized by the executors of his will - secretary R. Sulman and lawyer R. Liljequist. Later, separate institutions were identified that began awarding individual prizes. When the Swedish-Norwegian union was dissolved, the Norwegian Committee became responsible for awarding the Peace Prize, and the Swedish organization for the rest.

Rules for awarding the prize to them. A. Nobel

The Statute of the Nobel Foundation determines the rules for awarding the prize. Only individuals and not organizations can be nominated (except for the Peace Prize, which can be awarded to both individuals and official organizations). One or two discoveries in the same field may be awarded in one year, but the number of laureates should not exceed three. The rule was officially added in 1968, but in fact has always been observed.

What is the Nobel Prize given for? Behind outstanding discoveries in five areas: physics, chemistry, medicine and physiology, literature, promoting peace in the world.

The monetary reward is divided among several candidates in this way: first in equal parts between the works, then according to the same principle between their authors. For example, if two discoveries are awarded, the allocated money is first divided by two. The first work has two authors - half is divided equally again, and the second - one - half is awarded to him.

Also, the award should not be awarded posthumously. But if the laureate was alive when the Nobel Prize was awarded, but passed away before the ceremony, then the prize remains with him. This rule came into effect in 1974. Until this moment, the Nobel Prize had been awarded posthumously twice: to Dag Hammarskjöld (by the way, he was the first to refuse the prize during his lifetime, citing the fact that he held a position on the Nobel Committee, and the fact that he was little known outside Sweden) and Erik Karlfeldt, the 1961 Peace Prize laureate of the year. According to the approved rule, the prize was retained by William Vickrey. The only time the Nobel Committee deviated from the rule was to award Ralph Stayman posthumously, since the committee believed him to be alive at the time of nomination.

If members of the Nobel Committee have not found worthy candidates this year, the prize may not be awarded. In this case, the funds are retained until next year.

Areas in which prizes are awarded

Alfred Nobel indicated in his will that the interest on the deposit must be divided into 5 equal parts, which are intended:

  • to the one who will make the most important discovery or invention in the field of physics;
  • to someone who makes an improvement or important discovery in the field of chemistry;
  • to someone who makes a discovery in the field of physiology or medicine;
  • to the one who will create the most outstanding literary work;
  • to the one who will make the most important contribution to the unity of nations, the reduction of the size of armies, the abolition of slavery, the promotion of peace conferences.

This is how Alfred Nobel determined what to give the Nobel Prize for.

But Nobel refused the prize to famous mathematicians. He himself could not answer the question of why there was no Nobel Prize in mathematics, since his will (as it should) was made public after his departure to another world. Be that as it may, the inventor and entrepreneur provided for awards in only five areas.

People have asked before about why there is no Nobel Prize in mathematics, but the committee is not going to expand the list of prizes, for which it has been criticized more than once. Its representatives respond that since only five areas were allocated in the will of the founder of the award, it means that awards will be given in five areas. No more, no less.

Russian Nobel Prize laureates

The list of Russian laureates includes persons who, at the time of presentation of the prize, had citizenship of Russia, the USSR, Russian Empire, regardless of their actual nationality at that time. The first Nobel Prize laureate from Russia was I. Pavlov for his discoveries in the physiology of the digestive system. Also Nobel Prize laureates were I. Mechnikov (for his work on immunity), I. Bunin (Nobel Prize in Literature), N. Semenov (chemistry), B. Pasternak (literature), P. Cherenkov, I. Tamm and I. Frank (physics), L. Landau (physics), N. Basov, A. Prokhorov (physics), M. Sholokhov (literature), A. Solzhenitsyn (literature), A. Sakharov (peace prize) and others.

Why there is no Nobel Prize in mathematics

But still the Nobel Prize in mathematics is not awarded. Why is there no Nobel Prize in mathematics? Alfred Nobel noted in his will that he chose all the disciplines after a balanced and deliberate analysis. But the train of thought of the inventor and entrepreneur remained unknown.

The most likely version of why mathematicians are not awarded the Nobel Prize is the following fact: Nobel insisted that inventions should provide real benefits to all humanity, and mathematics is still an exclusively theoretical science. In the end, the majority of the population does not care at all whether Fermat’s theorem has been proven or not. But if the queen of sciences is applied to physics or chemistry, outstanding scientists are awarded precisely in these disciplines.

Versions related to privacy

There is also a version that Alfred Nobel’s wife allegedly cheated on him with a mathematician. It was for this that the scientist became angry with the queen of sciences and did not add her to the will. In fact, Nobel was not married at all, and this is just a memorable explanation. At the age of forty-three, he placed an advertisement in the newspaper, which said that he was looking for a housewife, translator and secretary all rolled into one. Bertha Kinski responded to the ad. But soon she left for Austria and got married, and her relationship with Alfred remained exclusively friendly.

By the way, it was Bertha Kinski who advised Nobel to include the Peace Prize in his will. The Nobel Foundation later awarded the prize to her.

Another version is Alfred Nobel’s dislike for the mathematician Mittag-Leffler. Then he was one of the most likely contenders for the first prize. The reasons for the hostility are not exactly known. Some sources claim that Mittag-Leffler tried to court Nobel's fiancée, others that he annoyingly demanded donations for Stockholm University. It can be assumed that this was also the reason for the exclusion of the queen of sciences from their list.

"Ghosts" of the Nobel Prize in Mathematics

Although there is no Nobel Prize in mathematics, there are several awards that take its place. Equivalents are the Fields and Abel Prizes, as well as the Bank of Sweden Prize in Economics.