The Nobel Prize represents the ultimate achievement in science, literature, and peace. Every year, the world watches as geniuses receive their golden medals and massive cash rewards. However, the history behind this ceremony contains more scandal and oddities than you might expect. Furthermore, the rules often cause controversy among experts who feel overlooked. Consequently, the backstory is just as fascinating as the winners themselves. Explore these surprising details about the world's most prestigious honor.
Nobel Prize
Alfred Nobel established the Nobel Prize because a newspaper accidentally published his obituary early. The headline called him the “Merchant of Death,” so he created the awards to fix his legacy.
Surprisingly, there is no prize for mathematics included in the original list of categories. Rumors suggest Nobel hated a specific mathematician, but he likely just didn’t care about the subject.
During World War II, a scientist dissolved two gold medals in acid to hide them from the Nazis. After the war, the foundation recast the gold back into medals for the rightful owners.
Adolf Hitler was so angry about a specific peace winner that he banned all Germans from accepting awards. Consequently, three German scientists had to wait until after the war to receive their honors.
While most ceremonies happen in Sweden, the Nobel Peace Prize is actually awarded in Norway. Alfred Nobel never explained why he split the locations between these two neighboring countries.
Jean-Paul Sartre famously rejected the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1964. He declined the honor because he did not want to be “turned into an institution” by the committee.
Marie Curie stands out as the first person to win the Nobel Prize twice. Remarkably, she won in two different scientific fields, claiming victory in both Physics and Chemistry.
The Curie family holds an incredible record for the most wins within a single lineage. In fact, five different family members have received the prestigious award over the years.
Albert Einstein never won for his famous Theory of Relativity, which seems baffling today. Instead, the committee played it safe and honored him for his work on the photoelectric effect.
Shockingly, the rules strictly forbid awarding the prize to anyone after they have died. Therefore, worthy candidates often miss out simply because they did not live long enough.
Malala Yousafzai became the youngest laureate in history at just 17 years old. She received the Nobel Peace Prize for her brave fight against the suppression of children.
The banquet requires the staff to serve dinner to 1,300 guests with absolute precision. Waiters spend weeks rehearsing with stopwatches to ensure every plate touches the table simultaneously.
Linus Pauling remains the only person to win two unshared prizes in history. He won once for Chemistry and later won the Peace Prize for his anti-nuclear activism.
Bob Dylan ghosted the committee for weeks after they announced his win for Literature. Eventually, he accepted the award but skipped the ceremony to fulfill prior commitments.
Finally, the heavy gold medals are worth a fortune even before you count the prize money. One winner actually sold his medal at an auction for nearly five million dollars.
