The front of the Nobel Prize medal
(Mirror Daily, United States) The Nobel Prize is one of the most important awards scientists, writers or organizations can receive throughout their career. It stands as a recognition of the merits of a person or group of people who contributed to the benefit of culture and humankind.
The Nobel Prize awards have a tradition which dates back to 1901 when the first edition was held. The tradition began due to the will of Alfred Nobel, a Swedish industrialist. Initially, there were five categories, namely Peace, Literature, Medicine, Chemistry, and Physics. Approximately fifty years later, a new category was added, namely Economic Sciences, but it is not regarded as having the same status as the others.
As far as the 2016 edition of the event is concerned, it has already started. It will go on for the entire week, and roughly each day one of the winners to the now six categories will be announced. Winners receive approximately $930,000, as well as a diploma and a gold medal. However, apart from the material goods, they also get world fame and recognition for their work.
The Nobel Prize ceremonies are hosted by Stockholm, the capital city of Sweden. Nevertheless, the Peace Nobel Prize is awarded in Oslo, the capital city of neighbor country Norway.
Special committees are in charge of examining each category, namely the works of literature, the peace initiatives, and the scientific projects and research. Judges are not allowed to talk about nominees before the ceremony itself, so this years’ winners will be a mystery too until public revealing.
Alfred Nobel stated in his will dating from 1895 which should be the institutions in charged of awarding the prizes. So Stockholm’s Karolinska Institute is in charge of the medicine category, while The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences covers two categories, namely chemistry and physics. The Nobel Prize for Literature is awarded by the Swedish Academy.
The award for Peace was assigned to an institution in Norway. Specialists believe that Alfred Nobel made this decision because Norway seemed a much more peaceful and democratic country than Sweden.
For this year’s edition, the first winner to be announced is that of Medicine category, on October 3, followed by that of Physics on October 4, and Chemistry on October 5. The winner of the Nobel Prize in Peace will be announced on October 7, while that of Economic Sciences is due to next week, October 10. The date for the Literature Category hasn’t been revealed yet.
Ernest Hemingway and Albert Einstein are just two of the most famous winners. Can you think of other similar personalities?
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