The Nobel Prizes have been given since 1901 to people and organizations that make significant contributions to humanity, as intended by their founder, Alfred Nobel. The winners for 2026 will be announced between October 5 and 12, starting with the Medicine prize. Here are five key points about the Nobel Prizes: Attendance Issues: Some Nobel Peace Prize winners have been unable to attend the ceremony due to being detained or imprisoned, including notable figures like Aung San Suu Kyi and Liu Xiaobo. Age of Winners: The youngest Nobel laureate is Malala Yousafzai, who won at age 17. The oldest was John Goodenough, who received the Chemistry prize at 97. Posthumous Awards: Since 1974, the Nobel Prizes cannot be awarded after someone has died, except if they pass away between the announcement and the ceremony. Ralph Steinman was awarded the Medicine prize in 2011 despite having died shortly before the announcement. Women Winners: Only about 10% of the Nobel Prizes have been awarded to women, with the numbers slowly increasing. Fields like science have the least representation of women laureates. Nobel's Literary Side: Alfred Nobel, known for inventing dynamite, also had a passion for poetry and wrote throughout his life. He admired poets like Shelley and Byron and even wrote a play before his death. Overall, the Nobel Prizes celebrate remarkable achievements but also highlight issues like gender representation and the impact of political circumstances on recipients.
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