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After spending some time in Paris and
United States, pursuing his favorite subject chemistry, he
returned to Russia to work in his father’s factory in St.
Petersburg. When it was closed down in the year 1859, he
returned to Sweden. The explosion and the discovery
Back in Sweden, he began to manufacture a liquid explosive nitroglycerine.
Unfortunately for him, once when production was underway, an
explosion occurred and his younger brother was killed. This happened
in 1864. After this incident, the Swedish government refused
to let him rebuild the factory that was blown up in the explosion.
Soon after, he began to work on methods to minimize the dangers of
working with nitro glycerine. By sheer chance, he discovered that
nitro glycerine was absorbed to dryness by
kieselguhr, a siliceous packing material, and that the mixture could
be handled safely. This led him on to perfect dynamite and a
detonating cap. He procured patents for dynamite in Britain and in
the United States. He later developed a more powerful form of
dynamite, blasting gelatin, and about ten years later, he produced
ballistite, one of the first nitro-glycerine smokeless powders and a
precursor of cordite. |
Noble intentions
Although Alfred Nobel invented dynamite, the intention behind
the exercise was to put an end to all wars. His world-wide interests
in explosives and his holdings in some oil fields in Russia brought
him immense fortune, the bulk of which he used to establish a trust.
The trust established the Nobel Prize. Alfred Nobel breathed his
last at San Remo, Italy, on December 10, 1896.
The Prize
The Nobel Prize was initially awarded in five disciplines –
Physics, Chemistry, Physiology/Medicine, Literature and Peace, “to
those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the
greatest benefit on mankind”, as was specified in Alfred Noble’s
will. The prize for economics was added in 1968 by the Bank of
Sweden. Each award consists of a gold medal, a diploma bearing a
citation, and a sum of money, the amount depending on the income of
the foundation.
Nobel’s dream of honoring such outstanding
citizens was realized on his fifth death anniversary (1901), when
the prizes were awarded for the first time.
The selection process
The selection process begins in the autumn of the preceding
year, with the prize awarding institutions sending out invitations
to those considered competent under the Nobel statutes, asking them
to nominate candidates. The proposals should reach the concerned
committee before February of the award year, and it is to be given
in writing. Six committees, one for each prize field, start the
sifting and short listing process. By September/October, the
recommendations are submitted to the respective bodies and a final
decision is made by November 15. At every stage, secrecy is the
byword.
The rules
In his will, Alfred Nobel had specified the rules governing the
award. For instance, the prizes are open to all, irrespective of
nationality, race, creed, or ideology. They can be awarded more than
once to the same recipient.
All prizes, except that for Peace, are
awarded to individuals only. In the case of the Peace Prize, it may
be awarded to an individual or an institution. Nominations are not
made posthumously, but prizes once announced may be awarded
posthumously. The awards may not be appealed against.
A prize may be given entirely to one person
or shared equally between or jointly by two or three persons. When
there is no person worthy of the award, the prize may be withheld.
Also if a global situation such as world wars is an impediment to
gathering the information on which to base decisions, then too the
prizes may be withheld. If a prize is withheld for some reason, it
may be awarded the next year, in addition to the regular six. That
is to say, two prizes in the same field may be awarded the next
year.
The ceremonies
The ceremony for presentation of awards for Physics, Chemistry,
Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Economics takes place in
Stockholm, while that for Peace takes place in Oslo on December 10.
The winners, the Nobel laureates are invited to receive the prizes
personally and each winner makes a presentation on the occasion.
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