Alfred Nobel’s Early Life and Inventions
Alfred Nobel, born in Stockholm, studied basic engineering and chemistry in various countries, including Russia, France, and the United States. Upon his return to Sweden, Nobel conducted numerous experiments with nitroglycerin, a highly volatile substance. In 1867, after extensive research, he invented dynamite, a breakthrough that earned him international acclaim. He secured patents for dynamite in countries such as the UK (1867) and the US (1868), which not only elevated his reputation but also made dynamite a crucial tool in industries such as mining, waterway blasting, and railway and road construction. Nobel continued to develop other explosives, selling them globally, which helped him amass significant wealth.
The Creation of the Nobel Prize
A year before his death, Alfred Nobel made a historic decision by donating his fortune to establish annual awards for those who made the greatest contributions to humanity. His will outlined five categories: Literature, Chemistry, Physics, Physiology or Medicine, and Peace. Nobel’s estate, worth around 9 million dollars, was to be used to fund these prizes, awarded to individuals whose work had most benefited humanity in the previous year.
Why the Prize is Awarded in Two Countries
Nobel’s will specified that the Norwegian Nobel Committee would oversee the Peace Prize, while Swedish institutions would handle the other categories. This arrangement stems from the political union between Sweden and Norway at the time Nobel wrote his will in 1895 and when the Nobel Foundation was founded in 1900. Although the union dissolved in 1905, the division of responsibilities within the Nobel organization has remained unchanged.
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