You might’ve heard about the Nobel Prize and its numerous recipients. It is always exciting to see people being awarded one of the most prestigious awards. Nobel Prize winners are announced In October, which is why it is called the Nobel Prize season. It shines a light on those people who have worked hard to make a noteworthy difference. However, the tradition of awarding a Nobel Prize didn’t start off like this.

Initially, it only consisted of a few Swedes and Norwegians sitting in a small ceremony wearing tuxedos and handing out souvenirs to their lucky recipients.

Helena Loopes/Pexels | The winners are now selected by the 18 member Swedish Academy

1. The History Of Nobel Prize

Alfred Nobel, who was born in a Swedish family of engineers, made a name for himself and created a legacy by becoming a chemist, inventor, and engineer. He spent his life working and inventing, and the Nobel Prize was created as per his will in 1895. This was a prize designated for people who provided great services to mankind and who belonged to five disciplines: Physics, Chemistry, Physiology, Literature, and Peace. These Nobel Laureates receive a gold medal, a diploma, and over $1 million.

Pixabay/Pexels | It is more than just an honor to win a Nobel Prize

2. The Nominations For The Nobel Prize

Being nominated for a Nobel Prize in the category of Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, and Economics is exclusively invitation-based. Each category has its own committee that sends out nominations to approximately 3,000 people. The nominated people are further short-listed, and the list is sent to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences where they put in their votes for the winner.

Christina Morrila/Pexels | The decision cannot be vetoed, it’s full and final

For literature, the committee sends out nominations while people are also encouraged to submit their names to be considered for a nomination. However, the ‘qualified person’ has to be part of academics in Literature or Linguistics at a college or a university.

For the peace prize, however, no nominations are sent out. The winner is selected by the five-person committee, which is specifically selected by the Norwegian parliament. This is why this ceremony is held in Oslo while the rest are held in Stockholm.

Bottom Line: No, you cannot nominate yourself for a Nobel Prize–but you can work hard to get one!