Key takeaways
- Alfred Nobel used the wealth he had accumulated in the explosives industry to create the Nobel Prize.
- Although he was an open pacifist, many of Nobel's inventions made war even more destructive.
- It is believed that the Nobel Prize is Nobel's attempt to leave a legacy in the world that is better than to improve military weapons through his ingenuity.
- Alfred Nobel speaks many languages and lives and travels around the world.
- Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela and Milton Friedman are all inspiring and influential figures who won the Nobel Prize.
Introduction to Alfred Nobel
Alfred Bernhard Nobel was a Swedish scientist, inventor, entrepreneur, writer and philanthropist born in Stockholm in 1833. He amassed a huge fortune in the explosives industry. This wealth came from patents he applied for for explosive nitroglycerin and other patents, and the income he earned from starting a company.
Alfred Nobel, who never married or had any children, left his wealth in a trust fund. Nobel named the Nobel Prize after him. Shortly after Nobel's death in 1896, the Nobel Prize was born. He left behind much of his large fortune built on the proceeds of explosives and ammunition to establish the Nobel Prize, which was first awarded in 1901.
What was Alfred Nobel's most famous invention?
Alfred Nobel was famous for inventing explosives, and he patented the explosive nitroglycerin.
How did Alfred Nobel get rich?
Alfred Nobel was born into a wealthy family, but he amassed his wealth throughout his life in areas such as arms and explosives.
How much money did Alfred Nobel leave in his will?
In 1895, Alfred Nobel left 31 million Swedish kronor in his will. At least equivalent to the current 1.6 billion yuan.
Why did Alfred Nobel establish the Nobel Prize?
There are many different accounts of why the Nobel Prize was established. Nobel laureate Albert Einstein himself said: "Alfred Nobel invented an explosive that was more powerful than all the tools known at the time — an explosive that was extremely effective and destructive." To make up for this "achievement" and alleviate the uneasiness of his conscience, he set up an award named after him to advocate for peace. Although this view was generally accepted, it was not confirmed by Nobel himself.
When inventing explosives, Nobel naively believed that once a targeted bombing massacre was launched on the battlefield, his explosives could quickly end war and combat. When one of his brothers died in 1888, a French newspaper mistakenly believed that Nobel had died, and instead called him the "Death Merchant", publishing news about Alfred's "Death Merchant Is Dead". This event is thought to have inspired Nobel to think about how the wealth he created in the world could still function after death.
How did Alfred Nobel establish the Nobel Prize?
Alfred Nobel created a trust fund and wrote instructions for the use of the trust fund to establish five awards to recognize women and men who have made outstanding achievements in chemistry, physics, physiology or medicine, literature and in the struggle for peace. Nobel demanded that these achievements must be work for the benefit of humanity.
Nobel Prize
If Nobel intends to reinvent his reputation, he will undoubtedly succeed, because his name is more closely related to the Peace Prize than to explosive technology. After his death, Alfred Nobel provided approximately $31 million in Swedish kronas in an endowment fund to reward outstanding work in various fields.
The Nobel Prize is divided into multiple themes and reflects Nobel's diverse interests and talents. These topics cover physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, peace and economic sciences. Prizes include medals, certificates and cash prizes. The Nobel Foundation in Stockholm, Sweden, is the organization responsible for overseeing and managing these funds.
Among the many notable winners of the award are the aforementioned Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela. Many influential economists have won Nobel Prizes in finance, including Paul Samuelson, Friedrich Hayek, and Milton Friedman.
The influence of Alfred Nobel
Alfred Nobel lived in Sweden, Finland and Russia and traveled in France, Germany and the United States. He speaks several languages and is fluent in Swedish, Russian, English, French and German.
While in France, Nobel got in touch with Ascanio Sobrero, who invented an explosive liquid called nitroglycerin. The meeting later influenced Nobel's work on controllable explosive explosives, which eventually led to the invention of explosives.
Alfred Nobel has patented more than 300 of his inventions in biology, physiology and optics, some of which involve explosives. His success led him to establish many businesses, including Nitroglycerin AB in Stockholm and Alfred Nobel & Co. in Krümmel, Germany. Factories and American blasting oil companies.
Despite his contributions to explosives technology, Alfred Nobel was a powerful promoter of world peace. Another staunch advocate of peace, Countess Bertha Kinsky, influenced Nobel's pacifist tendencies. Count Bertha Kinski served for a short time as Nobel's private secretary, during which time she became a good friend of Nobel's.