For which he received the Nobel Prize. What is the Nobel Prize and who is it given to? How many people have won the Nobel Prize?

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 relatives of the inventor, 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 was the German bacteriologist Emil Adolf von Behring, 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 receive this high award was René Sully-Prudeme.

The Peace Prize is awarded to the latter. In 1901 it was divided between Jean Henri 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.

Tip 2: Which Russian writers were awarded the Nobel Prize

The Nobel Prize is one of the most prestigious awards in the field of science, culture and social activity. Several domestic writers also received this award for their services to literature.

Ivan Alekseevich Bunin - the first Russian laureate

Boris Leonidovich Pasternak - prize for poetry in prose

Pasternak not only wrote works himself, but was also a talented translator.

Mikhail Alexandrovich Sholokhov - singer of the Russian Cossacks

Despite Sholokhov's deafening fame at an early age, his subsequent works were much weaker.

Alexander Isaevich Solzhenitsyn - rejected by the authorities

Joseph Alexandrovich Brodsky - the last laureate of the prize

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Tip 3: Which writer was awarded the Nobel Prize?

The Nobel Prize is one of the most prestigious awards. Since its inception, the Alfred Nobel Literary Prize has been awarded to 106 writers around the world.

Why is the Nobel Prize in Literature awarded?

The Nobel Prize for Literature has been awarded every year since 1901 to a Nobel Prize for achievements in the field of literature. The Swedish Academy has the right to name. During its existence, writers from around the world received 106 Alfred Nobel Prizes.

In 1914, 1918, 1935, and during the Second World War from 1940 to 1943, not a single writer was awarded. According to the Nobel Foundation, the prize may not be awarded if there are no worthy candidates. Four times in the history of the prize, two people became laureates at once: in 4, 17, 66 and 74 of the last century.

Countries in which Nobel laureates lived and worked

The largest number of Nobel Literary Prize laureates were given to the world by countries such as France (13 people), Great Britain (10), Germany and the USA (9 each). Following them is Sweden, 7 writers who were born and worked in this country received the Nobel Prize. Among the Nobel laureates are 6 Italians, 5 Spaniards, 4 residents of Poland and the former USSR. 3 natives of Norway, Ireland and Denmark each received the Alfred Nobel Prize in Literature. Greece, China, Chile, Switzerland, South Africa and Japan each produced two Nobel Prize winners. Once, during the presentation of the Nobel Prize in Literature, the names of writers born in countries such as Austria, Australia, Belgium, Hungary, Guatemala, Egypt, Israel, India, Iceland, Canada, Colombia, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Portugal, St. -Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Finland, Czech Republic, Yugoslavia. A stateless writer who received a Nobel Prize is Ivan Bunin, who emigrated from Russia to France in the 1920s.

Women and men who won the Nobel Prize in Literature

The beautiful half of humanity makes up a small part of the Nobel laureates:

Selma Lagerlöf received this prestigious award in 1909.
Grazia Deledda - in 1926.
Sigrid Undset - in 1928.
Pearl Buck - in 1938.
Gabriela Mistral - in 1945.
Nellie Zaks - in 1966.
Nadine Gordimer - in 1991.
Toni Morrison - in 1993.
Wisława Szymborska – in 1996.
Elfriede Jelinek – in 2004.
Doris Lessing - in 2007.
Hertha Müller - in 2009.
Alice Munro - in 2013.

The Nobel Prize was awarded to the following men:

1901 - Sully-Prudhomme
1902 - to Theodor Mommsen
1903 - Bjornstjerne Bjornson
1904 - Frederic Mistral and José Echegaray y Eizaguirre
1905 - Henryk Sienkiewicz
1906 - Giosue Carducci
1907 - To Rudyard Kipling
1908 - to Rudolf Aiken
1910 - Paul Heise
1911 - to Maurice Maeterlinck
1912 - to Gerhart Hauptmann
1913 - Rabindranath Tagore
1915 - Romain Rolland
1916 - to Karl Heidenstam
1917 - Karl Gjellerup and Henrik Pontoppidan
1919 - to Karl Spitteler
1920 - Knut Hamsun
1921 - Anatole France
1922 - Jacinto Benavente y Martinez
1923 - to William Yates
1924 - to Vladislav Reymont
1925 - to Bernard Shaw
1927 - to Henri Bergson
1929 - To Thomas Mann
1930 - To Sinclair Lewis
1931 - Eric Karlfeldt
1932 - John Galsworthy
1933 - to Ivan Bunin
1934 - Luigi Pirandello
1936 - to Eugene O'Neill
1937 - Roger Martin du Garou
1939 - To Fran Sillanpää
1944 - to Vilhelm Jensen
1946 - To Hermann Hesse
1947 - Andre Gidou
1948 - To Thomas Eliot
1949 - To William Faulkner
1950 - to Bertrand Russell
1951 - Per Lagerkvist
1952 - Francois Mauriacou
1953 - to Winston Churchill
1954 - Ernest Hemingway
1955 - Halldor Laxness
1956 - Juan Jimenez
1957 - Albert Camus
1958 - Boris Pasternak
1959 - Salvatore Quasimodo
1960 - Saint-John Perse
1961 - Ivo Andricu
1962 - To John Steinbeck
1963 - to Giorgos Seferis
1964 - Jean-Paul Sartre
1965 - Mikhail Sholokhov
1966 - To Shmuel Agnon
1967 - To Miguel Asturias
1968 - Yasunari Kawabata
1969 - To Samuel Beckett
1970 - Alexander Solzhenitsyn
1971 - Pablo Neruda
1972 - Heinrich Böll
1973 - To Patrick White
1974 - to Eivind Jonson and Harry Martinson
1975 - Eugenio Montale
1976 - Saul Bellow
1977 - Vicento Aleisandre
1978 - Isaac Bashevis-Singer
1979 - To Odiseas Elytis
1980 - To Czeslaw Milosz
1981 - to Elias Canetti
1982 - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
1983 - to William Golding
1984 - to Yaroslav Seifert
1985 - Claude Simon
1986 - Wole Soyinka
1987 - Joseph Brodsky
1988 - Naguib Mahfouz
1989 - Camilo Selu
1990 - Octavio Pasu
1992 - Derek Walcott
1994 - Kenzaburo Oe
1995 - Seamus Heaney
1997 - Dario Fo
1998 - Jose Saramago
1999 - to Günter Grass
2000 - Gao Xingjian
2001 - Vidiadhar Naipaul
2002 - Imre Kertesz
2003 - To John Coetzee
2005 - Harold Pinter
2006 - Orhan Pamuk
2008 - To Gustave Leclezio
2010 - Mario Vargas Llosa
2011 - To Tumas Tranströmer
2012 - Mo Yan

Sources:

• Nobel Prize Laureates

The history of the Nobel Prize began in 1889, when the brother of the famous inventor of dynamite Alfred Nobel, Ludwig, died. Then the journalists mixed up the information and published an obituary for Alfred's death, calling him a merchant of death. It was toga that the inventor decided to leave behind a softer legacy that would bring joy to those who truly deserved it.

Instructions

After the announcement of Nobel's will, an outburst erupted - the relatives were against the fact that a lot of money (in those days) went to the foundation, and did not go to them. But despite the heated condemnation of the inventor’s relatives, the foundation was still founded in 1900.

The first Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1901 in Stockholm. The laureates were scientists and researchers from various fields: physics, medicine, literature. The very first person to receive such a valuable award was Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen for the discovery of a new form of energy and rays that received his name. Interestingly, Roentgen was not present at the award ceremony. He learned that he had become a laureate while in Munich. Moreover, laureates usually receive the prize second, but as a sign of deep respect and recognition of the importance of the discovery made by Rentegn, he was given the prize first.

The next nominee for the same award was the chemist Jacob van't Hoff for his research in the field of chemical dynamics. He proved that Avogadro's law is valid and valid for dilute solutions. In addition, van't Hoff experimentally proved that osmotic pressure in weak solutions obeys the gas laws of thermodynamics. In medicine, Emil Adolf von Behring received recognition and honor for his discovery of blood serum. This study, according to the professional community, was an important step in the treatment of diphtheria. This helped save many human lives that were simply doomed before.

The fourth writer to receive the prize in the same year was Rene Sully-Prudhomme. He was awarded for outstanding literary merit, the presence of high idealism in his works, artistic excellence, as well as for an unusual combination of sincerity and talent.

The first Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the founder of the International Red Cross, Jean-Henri Dunant. This is how the judges noted his peacekeeping work. After all, Dunant founded a society for the protection of prisoners of war, initiated a campaign against the slave trade, and supported exiled peoples.

Although the first official Nobel Prize ceremony was held in 1901, it is believed that the very first such prize was awarded in 1896. Then the Imperial Russian Technical Society decided to award process engineer Alexei Stepanov for scientific achievements. He received this honor for his study “Fundamentals of Lamp Theory.” It was not counted as the main one because it bore the name not of Alfred Nobel, but of his brother Ludwig.

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Several million Swedish crowns, an honorary title, worldwide fame, authority and respect in society. This is the short result of receiving the most prestigious prize in the world - the Nobel Prize - in Stockholm or Oslo. The list of Nobel laureates, dating back to 1901, also includes several dozen people who have a direct or indirect connection to Russia/Soviet Union/RF.

Instructions

The history of the Nobel Prize began at the end of the 19th century. In 1896, the famous Swedish industrialist, “arms king” Alfred Nobel, died. Nobel is famous, first of all, for having received over 350 patents for his inventions. Including dynamite. By the way, several of his enterprises that supplied weapons were located in Russia and worked for the tsarist army.

Before his death, Alfred Nobel made a will, according to which part of his huge fortune - 31 million Swedish crowns - was to be used to establish special prizes. They could only be paid for outstanding achievements in various fields of science and culture that benefited all of humanity and were not aimed at creating weapons.

The Nobel Prize is the highest award given for achievements in science, inventions and contributions to culture, as well as for the development of society. The tradition of rewarding people for their work contributing to the progress of mankind was introduced on the basis of Nobel's will. So, for what can you get the Nobel Prize, which implies the presentation of not only a memorial sign, but also a significant cash prize amounting to more than $1 million. The award is given to specialists in physics, chemistry, literature, economics, medicine, as well as for establishing peace on earth.

How to get a Nobel Prize?

People who were able to make a discovery receive such a global award, and for this they need to go through a certain path. What does it take to win a Nobel Prize:

1. You need to start by obtaining higher education in the areas that were listed earlier. You will have to complete your master's degree and defend your dissertation.
2. Having a candidate or doctorate degree, you need to make a discovery that will be useful for the whole world. As for literature, the work must be original and stand out from everyone else in some way. You should not expect that immediately after this you will be included in the list of applicants, since usually about 30 years pass from the moment of opening until the receipt of the award.
3. After the discovery is made, you need to work on your popularity, since at least 600 leading experts should know about your work. To do this, you need to participate in various exhibitions, presentations, publish in newspapers and magazines, etc. Fame is needed so that during a survey conducted by the Nobel Committee, professionals in their field will mention you as a worthy participant.
4. After this, the Nobel Committee and the Swedish Academy of Sciences conduct numerous consultations with various experts and the most worthy applicants are selected from the list obtained through a survey. After this, a vote takes place, in which members of the Nobel Committee participate, which makes it possible to determine the laureates. If a person gets on this list, he will soon receive a notification and can prepare for the Nobel lecture.

Speaking about how to get a Nobel Prize in economics, physics and other sciences, it will be interesting to look into the existing predictions by scientists for the future. For example, in physics you shouldn’t expect major discoveries in the coming years, since only the existing theory is being strengthened and expanded. Unfavorable forecasts in chemistry, so, according to the committee, it is no longer possible to make any discoveries. Biology has the greatest prospects for truly brilliant discoveries. Almost all research is carried out in the field of clones and genes.

It will also be interesting to know where the Nobel Prize is received and when the ceremony takes place. So, they gather the laureates for the awards on December 10, the day of Nobel’s death, in the capital of Sweden at the Royal Academy of Music, but the Peace Prize is given in the capital of Norway. For several years now, the Peace Prize has been awarded not for what has already been done, but for future achievements that will improve life.

Why don't mathematicians win the Nobel Prize?

Many are surprised by this fact, but Alfred Nobel himself decided so. There are several versions of why this happened. For example, mathematicians say that the scientist simply forgot to dictate it to the secretary, indicating the list of sciences for which a prize is worth giving, believing that this goes without saying. Some argue that Alfred excluded mathematics quite deliberately, since when creating dynamite, he did not use it, which means that science is completely unnecessary. According to the third version, having forgotten about mathematics, Nobel took revenge on his wife’s admirer, who was a famous professor of this particular science.

The Nobel Prize (Swedish: Nobelpriset, English: Nobel Prize) is one of the most prestigious international prizes, awarded annually for outstanding scientific research, revolutionary inventions or major contributions to culture or society.

Story

On November 27, 1895, in Paris, Alfred Nobel signed the last version of his famous will, according to which the majority of his fortune should go towards creating a foundation and establishing a prize to encourage pioneers in the fields of physics, chemistry, physiology and medicine, as well as writers and those who are more did everything in favor of peace over the previous year, regardless of nationality. 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.

Nobel Prizes are awarded annually (since 1901) for outstanding work in the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine and physiology, economics (since 1969), for literary works, and for activities to strengthen peace.

The Nobel Prizes are awarded to the Royal Academy of Sciences in Stockholm (for physics, chemistry, economics), the Royal Karolinska Medical-Surgical Institute in Stockholm (for physiology and medicine) and the Swedish Academy in Stockholm (for literature); In Norway, the Nobel Committee of Parliament awards the Nobel Peace Prizes. Nobel Prizes are not awarded posthumously.

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. Chefs from the Town Hall Cellar (a restaurant at the Town Hall) and chefs who have ever received the title of Chef of the Year take part in the development of the menu. In September, three menu options are tasted by members of the Nobel Committee, who decide what will be served “at the Nobel table.” The only dessert that is always known is ice cream. And then until the evening of December 10th, no one, except a narrow circle of initiates, knows what kind.

The Nobel Concert is one of the three components of 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. The Nobel concert is broadcast on several international television channels on December 31 of each year. According to Nobel's will, the prize was to be awarded for discoveries, inventions and achievements made in the year of the award. This provision is de facto not respected.

Prize rules

The main document regulating the rules for awarding the prize is the statute of the Nobel Foundation.

The prize can only be awarded to individuals and not institutions (except for peace prizes). The Peace Prize can be awarded to individuals as well as official and public organizations.

According to § 4 of the statute, one or two works can be rewarded at the same time, but the total number of recipients should not exceed three. Although this rule was only introduced in 1968, it has always been de facto respected. In this case, the monetary reward is divided among the laureates as follows: the prize is first divided equally between the works, and then equally between their authors. Thus, if two different discoveries are awarded, one of which was made by two people, then the latter receive 1/4 of the monetary part of the prize. And if one discovery is awarded, which was made by two or three, everyone receives equally (1/2 or 1/3 of the prize, respectively).

Also in § 4 it is stated that the prize cannot be awarded posthumously. However, if the applicant was alive at the time the prize was announced (usually in October), but died before the award ceremony (December 10 of the current year), then the prize remains with him. This rule was adopted in 1974, and before that the prize was awarded posthumously twice: to Erik Karlfeldt in 1931 and to Dag Hammarskjöld in 1961. However, in 2011, the rule was broken when, by decision of the Nobel Committee, Ralph Steinman was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine posthumously, since at the time of the award the Nobel Committee considered him alive.

According to § 5 of the statute, the prize may not be awarded to anyone if the members of the relevant committee did not find worthy works among those nominated for competition. In this case, the prize money is retained until the next year. If the prize is not awarded next year, the funds are transferred to the closed reserve of the Nobel Foundation.

What amount are we talking about?

At the time of Alfred Nobel's death, the award amounted to more than 31 million Swedish kronor. Currently, the capital of the Nobel Prize Foundation is estimated at approximately $500 million.

Why is there no Nobel Prize in mathematics?

Mathematicians themselves believe that nowhere can be done without their science. Alfred Nobel forgot to mention the item. I decided that along with physics and chemistry it goes without saying.

The average person has a different explanation for why the Nobel Prize in mathematics is not awarded. This is an abstract science that is not useful to everyone. What does humanity gain from a new way of solving a complex equation?.. That is why the subject was not included in the list of nominations.

The press is “favorite” with anecdotes in which the decision of the Nobel Prize founder is explained by personal motives. The names of the theories put forward:

• French-American version. The Swedish mathematician Mittag-Leffler persistently courted the wife of Alfred Nobel. Moreover, the latter began to reciprocate the scientist’s feelings, which insulted the dignity of the inventor of dynamite. The founder of the prize took revenge on his rival by crossing out “pseudoscience” from his will.
• Swedish version. There was a conflict between Nobel and Mittag-Leffler. And the reasons are not related to the infidelity of the testator's wife. The inventor understood that the prize in mathematics would go to Leffler. After all, the latter is a leader in its field. Nobel did not allow this.

People also “love” stories about the theater. A certain admirer allegedly kissed the hand of Nobel’s wife Sophie so enthusiastically that he did not notice how he stepped on the unlucky husband’s foot. Alfred later learned that the boyfriend was a mathematics professor.

Such versions are considered anecdotal in the scientific world. And there is official evidence of this. Alfred Nobel was not married. Mittag-Leffler existed. The Swedish mathematician sought to have the talented woman Sofya Kovalevskaya (in jokes referred to as “wife”) accepted to a professorship at Stockholm University. But Nobel, as one of the sponsors, did not allow this.

Leffler later persuaded the inventor to leave part of his fortune to the university. The mathematician was overly persistent, which irritated Nobel. The scientist achieved nothing. It only angered the founder of the prize: the latter crossed out Stockholm University from his will.

Historians and scientists themselves have more plausible versions of why the “Nobel for Mathematicians” is not available:

• The founder of the prize was involved in chemistry, physics and medicine in his life, and was fond of literature. He fought for the strengthening of peace. Participated in anti-slavery societies. Therefore, these five areas were included in the list of nominations.
• Nobel established a prize only for experimental sciences for those achievements that brought real benefits to people. Theoretical items were not included in the will. It is impossible to objectively evaluate their discoveries. Check the result experimentally too.

Einstein's theory of relativity is of little use to humanity: the discovery is significant only for a certain circle of people. But his theory of the photoelectric effect made a significant contribution to the development of the entire society. Therefore, the scientist received a prestigious prize for the latter.

What will they console themselves with?

The mathematicians themselves are not very offended that Nobel bypassed their science. The Nobel Prize is a socially significant prize, with huge cash prizes and a magnificent ceremony. It is difficult to call it purely scientific. Scientists who have made a significant contribution to science do not always rise to the podium. Their achievements are more important for society.

Other prestigious prizes are awarded to mathematicians. And here the nominees are those who have made a huge contribution specifically to mathematical science.

Fields Medal

The most prestigious award in the field of mathematics. Nominees receive a cash prize and a gold medal. Founder: John Fields, President of the VII International Mathematical Congress (1924). Awarded on an ongoing basis since 1936 to 2-4 scientists.

Abel Prize

Formally (but not in value) closer to the “Nobel Prize” is the Abel Prize. Awarded since 2003 at the initiative of the Norwegian government. Named after Niels Henrik Abel.

The winner of the Abel Award is a scientist who has made a significant contribution to the development of mathematics (without reference to age). The value of the prize is comparable to the value of the Nobel Prize (more than 1 million US dollars). Awarded annually.

The Nobel Prize is not available to mathematicians. The actual reasons are unlikely to be related to the personal motives of its founder. Mathematical discoveries have no practical significance. And this is one of the important conditions for receiving the Nobel Prize.

When were the first Nobel Prizes awarded?

The first Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1901. Nobel donated 94% of his fortune to the prize fund. His will was disputed by family members and was later approved by the Swedish government.

How many people have become Nobel laureates?

The Nobel Prize has been awarded 567 times. However, several times more than one nominee received it. In total, 860 people and 22 organizations became laureates.

Were there any years when the Nobel Prize was not awarded?

Were. Since 1901, the Nobel Prize has not been awarded 49 times. Most of the prizes not awarded occurred during the First (1914-1918) and Second (1939-1945) World Wars. Additionally, the Nobel Prize Foundation's statutes state that if “...no work is of sufficient importance, the prize money should be deferred until the following year. If for the second year in a row there are no worthy discoveries, then the funds will go to the fund.”

In what areas are Nobel Prizes most often awarded?

The Nobel Prizes in physics were most often awarded for discoveries in the field of particle physics, in chemistry - for discoveries in biochemistry, in medicine - in genetics, in economics - in macroeconomics, and in literature - for prose.

Scientists from which countries most often became Nobel laureates?

In first place is the United States of America with 257 laureates. In second place is Great Britain with 93, in third place is Germany with 80. Russia has 27 laureates. According to the rules of the Nobel Committee, this does not include people, for example, who were born in Russia or the USSR, but made discoveries in another country. Or writers who wrote in Russian, but were by that time citizens of other countries, for example, Ivan Bunin in 1933 or Joseph Brodsky in 1987.

At what age do they become Nobel Prize laureates?

In a variety of ways: the youngest laureate was last year Malala Yousafzai. She received the Peace Prize at the age of just 17. The oldest was 90-year-old Leonid Gurvich, who received the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2007.

Are there any women among the laureates?

There are, although they are a minority. In total, women received awards 47 times. And only one of them - Marie Curie - received it twice: once in physics, the other in chemistry. So, in total, 46 women became Nobel laureates.

Was it the case that the Nobel Prize was renounced voluntarily?

Certainly. But only twice: the French writer Jean-Paul Sartre refused the literature prize in 1964 because he did not recognize official awards at all. And Vietnamese politician Le Duc Tho refused the Peace Prize in 1973, saying that he did not consider it possible to accept it due to the situation in the country.

Is it forced?

There was such a thing. Adolf Hitler forbade three scientists: chemist Richard Kuhn, biochemist Adolf Butenandt and bacteriologist Gerhard Domagk to accept the prize. Later they were able to receive medals and diplomas, but not prize money.

Soviet poet and writer Boris Pasternak first agreed to accept the Nobel Prize, but then, under pressure from the authorities, refused it.

And posthumously?

Yes and no. The status of the Nobel Foundation determines that the prize can only be awarded to a living person. However, if at the time the result was announced he was still alive, and by the time the prize was awarded he had already died, then he is still considered a Nobel laureate. In 2011, the Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to Ralph Steinman. After the results were announced, it turned out that he had already died three days ago. After a meeting of the board of the Nobel Committee, it was decided to leave him on the list of laureates because the Nobel Commission of the Royal Carolinian Institute was not aware of his death at the time of making the decision.

Were there any family Nobel Prizes?

How! And the greatest contribution to this small list was made by the Joliot-Curie family. The following family laureates emerged from it: two married couples: Marie and Pierre Curie and Irene Joliot-Curie and Frederic Joliot, mother and daughter: Marie Curie and Irene Joliot-Curie, and father and daughter: Pierre Curie and Irene Joliot Curie.

This week the winners of the next Nobel Prize were announced. We tell you why they are receiving the award - and what it means for science and the world.

Medicine

James Ellison and Tasuku Honjo.

For what?

For the development of drugs that prevent tumor cells from resisting the immune system.

What does it mean?

Allison and Honjo developed checkpoint inhibitors- drugs that force the immune system to actively destroy the tumor.

Chemotherapy and targeted therapy either directly kill tumor cells or interfere with their processes, which also leads to their death. The difference between immune therapy is that it does not have an independent antitumor effect, but forces immune cells to kill the tumor.

True, in some cases such therapy leads to the immune system attacking its own cells - this is somewhat similar to autoimmune diseases.

Jeffrey Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael Young - for their discovery and research of the molecular mechanisms governing circadian rhythms.

Physics

Arthur Ashkin, Gerard Mourou and Donna Strickland.

For what?

Arthur Ashkin - for "laser tweezers", which is now used in biology. Gerard Moore and Donna Strickland - for method for producing ultrashort optical pulses.

What does it mean?

Optical tweezers are a device for moving matter using light. In simple words, it is a device that captures small pieces of matter using a laser beam.

Previously, when biologists needed to examine a cell and they took it with tweezers to separate it from the rest, it was very easy to damage it. But if you use Ashkin's optical tweezers, the cell will not be damaged because the gripping force is small and easy to adjust.

And ultrashort optical pulses are needed, for example, for laser thermonuclear fusion. Such lasers can also be used to clean the near-Earth space from space debris, which can seriously harm satellites, space stations and people in space.

A problem arose with these impulses - they needed to be made more powerful and shorter, despite the fact that their duration was already short. Gerard Mourou and Donna Strickland suggested how this could be done: stretch the impulses over time, slowly amplify them and compress them back.

Who got it last year?

Rainer Weiss, Kip Thorne and Barry Barish - awarded "for their decisive contributions to the LIGO detector and the discovery of gravitational waves."

Chemistry

Francis Arnold, George Smith and Gregory Winter.

For what?

Frances Arnold - "for directed evolution of enzymes", George Smith and Gregory Winter - "for phage display of peptides and antibodies" Smith first described this method, and Winter used it to develop drugs.

What does it mean?

This means that it has become possible to change enzymes and create new antibodies.

The first method is “directed evolution of enzymes.” As a result of experiments with the gene, only those bacteria that produce the most effective enzymes in the desired area will survive. That is, an evolutionary process is taking place, only the selection system is created by scientists themselves.

New enzymes help speed up processes and clear the product of side effects that sometimes occur during chemical reactions. They are used in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. With their help, biofuels, detergents, reagents and medicines are created.

The second method is phage display. One area of ​​its use is directed evolution in relation to antibodies. Only here it is not bacteria that are used, but bacteriophages - viruses that can infect bacteria. They have proteins on the surface, and a relatively large piece of some other protein can be embedded there. Thanks to this, various drugs from the group of monoclonal antibodies appeared. For example, against autoimmune diseases - rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis.

Who got it last year?

Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank and Richard Henderson for "the development of high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy techniques for determining the three-dimensional structures of biomolecules in solution."

Literature

On October 4, the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature could be named. But in May, the Nobel Committee announced that in 2018, for the first time in 75 years, the literature award would not be given due to a data leak at the Swedish Academy (which selects applicants and awards). The award ceremony will be resumed in 2019, and the winners will be announced two years in advance. In 2017, the Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to Kazuo Ishiguro, who, as the Nobel Prize organizing committee said in a statement, “exposes in his novels of incredible emotional power the abyss hidden behind our illusory sense of connection with the world.”

Peace Prize

Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad.

For what?

For combating sexual violence in armed conflict.

What does it mean?

Mukwege is a Congolese gynecologist and the founder and director of Panzi Hospital, which provides medical care to women victims of gang rape, a common practice by rebels during the Kivu conflict.

Nadia Murad is an Iraqi human rights activist and former captive of the Islamic State.

Who got it last year?

International Campaign to Ban Nuclear Weapons - "for its efforts to draw attention to the catastrophic consequences of any use of nuclear weapons and for efforts to ban such weapons through agreements."

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A little more about the Nobel Prize

This is one of the most prestigious international prizes, awarded annually for outstanding scientific research, revolutionary inventions or major contributions to culture and society.

When did they start giving?

• Physics - awarded since 1901 in Sweden;
• chemistry - since 1901 in Sweden;
• physiology and medicine - since 1901 in Sweden;
• literature - since 1901 in Sweden;
• The prize for promoting world peace has been awarded since 1901 in Norway.

How is the award structured?

The main document regulating the rules for awarding the prize is the Nobel Foundation.

The prize can only be awarded to individuals and not institutions (except for peace prizes). The Peace Prize can be awarded to individuals as well as official and public organizations.

Requests for nominations are sent by the Nobel Committee to approximately three thousand individuals, usually in September of the year preceding the year the prize is awarded. These individuals are often researchers working in the relevant field.

The award procedure is preceded by a lot of work, which is carried out all year round by numerous organizations around the world. In October, the laureates are finally approved and announced. The final selection of laureates is carried out by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the Swedish Academy, the Nobel Assembly of the Karolinska Institutet and the Norwegian Nobel Committee. The award procedure takes place annually on December 10. In Stockholm, prizes in the fields of physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and economics are presented by the King of Sweden. And in the field of defense of peace - the chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee presents it - in Oslo, at the city hall, in the presence of the King of Norway and members of the royal family. Along with a cash prize, the amount of which varies depending on the income received from the Nobel Foundation, laureates are awarded a medal and a diploma.

Unusual laureates

Barack Obama, who received the Peace Prize with the wording “For outstanding efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation among peoples,” was nominated for the award two weeks after becoming president.

American poet, musician, composer and singer Bob Dylan became a Nobel Prize laureate in literature. The choice of the organizing committee in favor of Bob Dylan was a complete surprise. Many are accustomed to perceiving Dylan solely as a musician, but not as a poet.

Received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1958 Boris Pasternak. The award was presented with the wording: “For significant achievements in modern lyric poetry, as well as for continuing the traditions of the great Russian epic novel.” Pasternak himself was forced to refuse the medal under threat of exile from Russia. In 1989, the medal and diploma were transferred to his son after the writer’s death.

What is the Ig Nobel Prize?

Ig Nobel Prizes, Ignobel Prize, Anti-Nobel Prize - a parody of the Nobel Prize. The ten Ig Nobel Prizes are awarded in early October, which is the time when the real Nobel Prize winners are named - for achievements that first make you laugh and then make you think. The prize was created by Mark Abrahams and the humor magazine Annals of Incredible Research.

Illustrations: nobelprize.org.

Text: Natalia Beley, regular contributor to F&F.

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Over the past two weeks, the Nobel Committee has named scientists whose achievements will be recognized. We tried to figure out who received awards this year and for what.

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Every year at the beginning of October, special attention is focused on what is happening in the Swedish capital - Stockholm. During this period, the winners of the most prestigious scientific award, the Nobel Prize, are determined here. Over the past two weeks, the Nobel Committee has named scientists whose achievements will be recognized. We tried to figure out who received awards this year and for what.

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This year's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Japanese scientist Yoshinori Ohsumi for his discovery of the mechanisms of autophagy. Autophagy is a process in the cell that allows you to get rid of unnecessary or non-functional components. The term "autophagy" is translated from Greek as "eating oneself." The concept itself dates back to the 60s, but Osumi's experiments in the 90s were a breakthrough. The Nobel Committee calls them research that changed the paradigm of perception.

The scientist conducted his experiments on yeast cells, but proved that similar processes occur in the human body. As noted by the Nobel Committee, these experiments allowed us to take a new look at how “recycling” occurs at the cellular level. “These discoveries have opened the way to understanding the fundamental importance of autophagy in many physiological processes, such as adaptation to starvation or response to infections,” the Nobel Committee notes on its website.

At the same time, scientists now know that impaired autophagy is associated with serious diseases such as Parkinson's disease, diabetes or cancer. At the moment, medicines for various diseases are being actively developed, which will be built on knowledge about this process.

Osumi was born in 1945 in Tokyo. After several years of work in the United States, he returned to Japan and founded a research group. Since 2009, he has been working as a professor at the Tokyo Institute of Technology.

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Three American scientists received the physics prize this year. The award was shared by physicists David Tuless, Duncan Haldan and Michael Kosterlitz. In their research, scientists applied a complex mathematical method - topology - to the study of rare aggregate states of matter, such as superconductivity, superfluidity, etc. “This year’s laureates opened doors to unknown worlds where matter can acquire atypical states,” notes the website awards.

Scientists hope that this research will open up new possibilities in materials science and electronics, for example in the creation of new types of electrical equipment or superconductors, as well as in future quantum computers.

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The Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to the Frenchman Jean-Pierre Savage, the American Fraser Stoddart and the Dutchman Bernard Feringa for creating “the world’s smallest machines.” And not just small ones, but truly miniature ones. Their invention is molecular machines. “Miniature elevator, artificial muscles, mini-motor. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded to Jean-Pierre Savage, Sir Fraser Stoddart and Bernard Feringa for the design and production of molecular machines,” says the Nobel Committee website.

The essence of these scientists' discovery is to create molecules that can move in a controlled manner and perform certain tasks when they receive energy. Savage took the first step in this process by linking two ring-shaped molecules into a network called catenanes, linked by a mechanical bond. “To be able to perform a task, a machine must consist of parts that can move relative to each other. The two interlocking rings fulfilled exactly this requirement,” notes the Nobel Prize website.

The second step was carried out by Stoddart, and the third step was taken by Feringa, creating the first molecular motor. “Molecular machines will most likely be used to create new materials, sensors and energy storage systems,” the prize’s website notes.

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This year, 376 nominees were in the running for the Nobel Peace Prize. As a result, the committee decided to honor Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos. “The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize to Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos for his determined efforts to end more than 50 years of civil war, which has cost the lives of at least 220,000 Colombians and forced some six million people to flee their homes,” they noted. committee.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee believes that although the peace agreement with the FARC group, which emerged as a result of negotiations initiated by Santos, was rejected by the majority of Colombians in a referendum, the attempts of the Colombian leader “bring closer the possibility of a peaceful end to the bloody conflict” and correspond to the spirit and will of Alfred Nobel.

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The Swedish Bank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, the so-called Nobel Prize in Economics, which was introduced in 1969, awarded two American scientists, Oliver Hart and Bengt Holmström, for their development of contract theory. Contracts play an extremely important role in economic relations and are its connecting link, the committee noted. The work of Hart and Holmström provided a significant foundation for analyzing the contract drafting process to make it as effective as possible.

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The award of the Nobel Prize in Literature was perhaps one of the biggest surprises of this year's prize, surprising both the public and the bookmakers. This year's award winner was American singer and rock legend Bob Dylan. The Nobel Committee noted Dylan's poetic merits, awarding him the prize for "creating new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition."

Dylan, born in 1941 in New York, became famous in the 60s for his “protest” work and participation in the civil rights movement. The singer’s discography includes more than 35 studio albums, including such famous ones as The Times They Are a-Changin’, The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan.