Nobel Prize Day

Nobel Prize Day, observed on December 10th, marks the anniversary of inventor and philanthropist Alfred Nobel's death in 1896, the date on which the prestigious Nobel Prizes are formally presented each year in elaborate ceremonies held in Stockholm, Sweden, and Oslo, Norway. Nobel, a Swedish chemist and engineer who made his considerable fortune primarily through his invention of dynamite, established the prizes in his 1895 will, directing that the bulk of his estate fund annual awards recognizing outstanding achievements in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace, a decision reportedly influenced by his desire to leave a more benevolent legacy than his association with explosives might otherwise suggest. The Nobel Peace Prize is uniquely presented in Oslo rather than Stockholm, a distinction some historians attribute to Nobel's specific wishes, possibly reflecting the close historical ties between Sweden and Norway at the time the will was written, while all other prize categories are awarded during the same-day Stockholm ceremony attended by Swedish royalty and dignitaries. A sixth prize category, in economic sciences, was added decades later in 1968 by Sweden's central bank, and while widely regarded alongside the original Nobel Prizes, it is technically a separate award established in Nobel's memory rather than funded directly by his original bequest. The Nobel Prizes remain among the most prestigious honors achievable in their respective fields, and recipients deliver formal lectures and receive their medals, diplomas, and monetary awards during the December ceremonies. Nobel Prize Day is marked by the formal award ceremonies and by public interest in that year's laureates and their achievements.