From Nobel's Will to the World's Most Famous Prizes: 12 Facts You May Not Know

An article presenting 12 facts about the Nobel Prizes, starting from Alfred Nobel's will in 1895, covering the number of times the prizes have been awarded, their monetary value, nomination conditions, cases of withholding and refusal, and the youngest and oldest laureates.

The article presents 12 facts about the Nobel Prizes, beginning with Alfred Nobel's will signed in 1895, in which he allocated the bulk of his fortune to create prizes rewarding contributions that bring 'the greatest benefit to humankind.' After his death in 1896, the Nobel Foundation was established in 1900, and the prizes were first awarded in 1901. The facts include: the prizes have been awarded 633 times between 1901 and 2025 to 1,026 individuals and organizations; Nobel held 355 patents; the Prize in Economic Sciences was established in 1968 by the Swedish central bank; the prize amount is 12 million Swedish kronor (about $1.1 million); the confidentiality of nominees' names for 50 years; the impossibility of revoking a prize; the awards ceremony on December 10; the prize cannot be divided among more than three people; the prizes have been withheld 49 times; Malala Yousafzai is the youngest laureate (age 17) and John Goodenough the oldest (age 97); the prizes have been awarded to women 68 times (67 women because Marie Curie won twice); Jean-Paul Sartre and Le Duc Tho refused the prize; and the Peace Prize is awarded by a Norwegian committee.