Every autumn, a handful of surprise phone calls from Stockholm and Oslo send ripples across the globe.
Every October, a handful of names suddenly dominate international headlines. Sometimes they are scientists most of us have never heard of. Other times they are writers whose words have already touched millions or activists who put their lives at risk in the pursuit of peace. What they all have in common is that they receive a call before dawn, often from Sweden or Norway, informing them that they have just become Nobel laureates.
The Nobel Prizes carry an aura of mystery and prestige. But behind the golden medals and gala ceremonies, what actually goes into these awards? How are winners chosen? Why do the prizes sometimes spark controversy? And what do they mean in a world that has changed so much since their creation?
A Process Cloaked in Secrecy
One of the most fascinating aspects of the Nobel Prizes is the way laureates are selected. Each year, thousands of invitations go out to experts — professors, past laureates, and members of scientific academies — asking them to nominate candidates. Self-nominations are strictly forbidden.
Once nominations close, committees begin their work. They consult additional specialists, pore over research, and debate vigorously. The decisions are never easy, because the work being considered often represents decades of effort by teams of people.
And then comes the veil of secrecy: nomination lists and committee deliberations remain sealed for 50 years. We don’t know who was considered for the prize until half a century later, long after the politics and rivalries of the moment have cooled.
The Awards Package
Winners receive three items:
- The medal – gold-plated and etched with Alfred Nobel’s profile.
- The diploma – a one-of-a-kind work of art created by Swedish and Norwegian designers each year.
- The money – currently about $1 million per prize, often shared if there are multiple laureates in a category.
For many laureates, however, the prestige is worth more than the money. A Nobel Prize instantly elevates a scientist’s research, brings worldwide attention to an activist’s cause, or introduces millions of new readers to a writer’s work.
Myths About the Nobel Prizes
The aura of the prizes has generated plenty of myths.
There is no Nobel Prize in mathematics. Despite popular rumors that Nobel had a grudge against a mathematician, historians suggest he simply prioritized fields that, in his view, most directly benefited humanity.
Nobel Prizes aren’t always given for recent work. In fact, many scientific discoveries are only recognized decades after they are made, once their true importance is clear.
Winning isn’t always an individual feat. While the prizes are often awarded to one or two people, many breakthroughs come from massive collaborations. Limiting the number of awardees has sparked debate in recent decades.
Why Norway Handles the Peace Prize
Most Nobel Prizes are awarded in Stockholm, Sweden, but the Peace Prize is different. It is awarded in Oslo, Norway. This unusual arrangement comes directly from Alfred Nobel’s will. At the time he wrote it, Sweden and Norway were united under one crown. Nobel assigned the Peace Prize to a Norwegian committee, perhaps believing Norway had a stronger tradition of diplomacy.
To this day, the distinction remains: laureates in the sciences, economics, and literature receive their prizes from the King of Sweden, while peace laureates are honored separately in Norway.
Famous Highs and Lows
The Nobel Prizes have celebrated extraordinary achievements:
Penicillin, discovered by Alexander Fleming and colleagues, revolutionized medicine.
Literary legends like Gabriel García Márquez and Toni Morrison reached global audiences through the Nobel spotlight.
Peace icons such as Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama received worldwide recognition that helped amplify their messages.
But the awards have also drawn criticism:
Overlooked pioneers. Rosalind Franklin’s crucial X-ray work on DNA structure went unrecognized, while her male colleagues shared the prize.
Controversial peace laureates. Awards to Henry Kissinger (1973) and Barack Obama (2009) sparked debate over whether the committee rewarded symbolism over results.
Gender imbalance. Fewer than 7% of laureates have been women, raising questions about bias in the nomination and selection processes.
Do the Prizes Still Matter?
Some argue the Nobel Prizes are outdated in a world where science is increasingly collaborative and where global challenges like climate change demand attention. Others say the awards overlook entire disciplines such as mathematics, computer science, and engineering, to name a few.
And yet, the world still pauses for Nobel announcements. Why? Because the prizes highlight something people crave: proof that progress is still happening. In a year filled with headlines about conflict and crisis, Nobel announcements provide a moment of hope.
For young scientists, the prizes are a beacon of possibility. For writers, they can bring global readership overnight. For peace activists, the prize can provide protection and amplify their cause. The symbolism, in other words, is as powerful as the prize itself.
A Global Stage
Every December 10, on the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death, the laureates gather. In Stockholm, a lavish ceremony celebrates laureates in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, and economics. In Oslo, the Peace Prize ceremony takes place before a worldwide audience.
These ceremonies are more than pageantry. They represent continuity; a ritual that has survived wars, depressions, and global upheavals. They tell the world: discovery, creativity, and peace are still values worth honoring.
Why the Nobel Name Endures
It’s worth remembering that Alfred Nobel himself never lived to see any of this. His decision to dedicate his fortune to annual prizes was initially seen as eccentric, even wasteful. Today, it’s a tradition that has lasted more than 120 years.
The Takeaway: The Nobel Prizes endure not because they are flawless, but because they shine a spotlight on the very best of human achievement. They remind us that in science, literature, and peace, individuals can change the course of history. The world may argue about who deserves them, but no one argues about whether they matter.
