Each October, committees in Norway and Sweden award six Nobel Prizes in physiology or medicine, chemistry, physics, economic science, literature and peace work. These prizes recognize an individual or organization’s outstanding contributions to the fields, says The New York Times.
Origin of the Nobel Prize
Alfred Nobel was a Swedish entrepreneur, philanthropist, scientist, inventor and author. According to Investopedia, He created the prize after his death with the intent of using the fortune he amassed in the explosive business to award work that benefited mankind.
The Winners in Physics
The prize winners in physics are shared by three men: Alain Aspect, John F. Clauser and Anton Zeilinger. The committee says their experiments, “have shaken the very foundation of how we interpret measurements.”
The Winners in Chemistry
Chemists Carolyn R. Bertozzi, Morten Meldal and K. Barry Sharpless have been working since 2000 to create functional molecules that the Nobel committee says “led to a revolution in how chemists think about linking molecules together.”
The Winner in Physiology or Medicine
Svante Pääbo was awarded for his discoveries concerning the genomes of extinct hominins and human evolution. He was able to retrieve genetic material from 40,000-year-old bones and produce a complete Neanderthal genome.
The Winner in Literature
French novelist Annie Ernaux was this year’s prize winner for literature. The committee awarded her “for the courage and clinical acuity with which she uncovers the roots, estrangements and collective restraints of personal memory.” Annie Ernaux is the 17th female writer to have won the Nobel Prize in literature.
The Nobel Peace Prize 2022 Winners
Ales Bialiatski was a jailed Belarusian activist. The chair of the Norwegian committee said that the three Peace Prize laureates “represent civil society in their home countries,” and that “They have made an outstanding effort to document war crimes, human right abuses and the abuse of power.” The winners represent peaceful coexistence in neighboring countries.
The Winners in Economic Science
Ben S. Bernanke, Douglas W. Diamond and Phillip H. Dybvig shared the win for achievement in economic science. Technically, the economic science award is not a Nobel Prize but is still regarded as the highest honor in the field.
Noteworthy Winners You Might Know
The Nobel Prize continues to be one of the most prestigious, international awards. Winners go down in history as some of the most celebrated and highly esteemed scholars and activists.
Some of the most famous Nobel Prize winners were Albert Einstein, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr, Barack Obama and Malala Yousafzai.
You can read more in-depth about the winners at Nobelprize.org.
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