On October 7, 2023, the Nobel Prize “announcement week” kicked off, with six prestigious awards set to be revealed in the coming days.
Since the first awards were presented in 1901, the Nobel Prizes have spanned over 120 years. But where did this highly esteemed accolade originate? What can we expect from the 2024 Nobel Prize announcements? As we reflect on its century-long history, we find that many of the prize-winning research outcomes are closely linked to our daily lives, despite some appearing to be highly specialized or esoteric.
A Will That Almost Didn’t Happen
When Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel passed away in 1896, he specified in his will that over 31 million Swedish kroner of his estate would be dedicated to establishing a fund. The annual interest from this fund would be divided into five awards, given to those making “significant contributions to humanity” in the fields of Physics, Chemistry, Physiology and Medicine, Literature, and Peace.
Initially, however, this will faced skepticism. Many considered Nobel’s intentions to be fanciful. Among the conservatives of his time, some even tried to block the implementation of the will, accusing him of being “unpatriotic” for not donating his vast fortune to Sweden.
Ultimately, after lengthy negotiations, the King of Sweden declared Nobel’s will effective in 1898. The first Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1901 in Stockholm, Sweden, and Oslo, Norway.
In 1968, in celebration of the 300th anniversary of the bank’s founding, the Sveriges Riksbank (Swedish National Bank) established the “Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel,” often referred to as the Nobel Prize in Economics. However, this prize is funded not from Nobel’s estate but through donations to the Nobel Foundation by the bank.
What to Watch for in the 2024 Nobel Prize Announcements
Typically, the list of Nobel Prize winners is released in October, while the awards ceremony takes place on December 10, the anniversary of Nobel’s passing. During the ceremony, winners receive medals, certificates, and confirmation of their prize money.
On September 19, the “Citation Laureates” list, often seen as a predictor of Nobel Prize winners, was revealed, featuring 22 leading researchers whose work is believed to have Nobel-level significance in their respective fields.
As “announcement week” approaches, the dates for the 2024 Nobel Prize announcements have been finalized (all times in Beijing time):
– Physiology or Medicine: No earlier than October 7 at 5:30 PM
– Physics: No earlier than October 8 at 5:45 PM
– Chemistry: No earlier than October 9 at 5:45 PM
– Literature: No earlier than October 10 at 7:00 PM
– Peace: No earlier than October 11 at 5:00 PM
– Economics: No earlier than October 14 at 5:45 PM
According to the official Nobel Prize website, the monetary award for each Nobel Prize in 2024 will remain at 11 million Swedish kronor, the same as in 2023.
The Nobel Prize in Our Everyday Lives
Often perceived as a “global scientific feast” that feels distant for those not engaged in these fields, the Nobel Prizes—especially in Physiology or Medicine, Physics, and Chemistry—are, in fact, intimately connected to our daily experiences. Many past winners have tackled topics that may seem “highbrow” but have led to practical outcomes that significantly influence our lives.
—Medical Research
One of the most notable contributions known in China is from scientist Tu Youyou, who isolated artemisinin from traditional Chinese medicine and won the Nobel Prize in 2015. Today, artemisinin is widely used in regions afflicted by malaria. Since 2000, approximately 240 million people in sub-Saharan Africa have benefited from artemisinin-based combination therapies.
In 1923, Canadian doctor Frederick Banting and others were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discovering insulin, which has helped countless diabetes patients live normal lives. In 1945, British scientists Alexander Fleming, Howard Florey, and Ernst Boris Chain received the prize for discovering penicillin, a drug that effectively treats bacterial infections and has substantially increased average life expectancy.
—X-rays
The 1901 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to German scientist Wilhelm Röntgen for discovering X-rays. This groundbreaking discovery paved the way for medical imaging technology, and X-rays are now widely used in clinical practice. Today, whether for medical examinations at hospitals or non-destructive testing in factories, X-rays are indispensable.
—Plastics
In the 1950s, German scientist Hermann Staudinger was recognized for his research in polymer chemistry. In the 1960s, Italian scientist Giulio Natta and German scientist Karl Ziegler jointly received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their work on synthetic polymers. These contributions spurred technological advancements in the plastics industry, making products like toothbrushes, take-out containers, and airplane components ubiquitous in our lives.
—Lithium Batteries
The 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to American physicist John B. Goodenough and others closely associated with the invention and development of modern lithium batteries. Today, these lightweight, rechargeable, high-performance batteries are found in mobile phones, laptops, and electric vehicles, shaping the landscape of our daily technology. As noted on the Nobel Prize website, these scientists have “created a rechargeable world.”
Perhaps, as 1998 Nobel Prize winner Louis Ignarro said, “Any scientific discovery that receives the Nobel Prize should not be kept on a pedestal, but rather shared with the public.”
