Frequently Asked Questions

The Nobel Prize

How many times have Nobel Prizes been awarded?

The Nobel Prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature and Peace have been awarded since 1901. The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel has been awarded since 1969. During the period 1901-2011 a total of 549 prizes have been awarded. There have been a few years in which the Nobel Prize was not awarded, particularly during World War I and II. In the statutes of the Nobel Foundation it says: "If none of the works under consideration is found to be of the importance indicated in the first paragraph, the prize money shall be reserved until the following year. If, even then, the prize cannot be awarded, the amount shall be added to the Foundation's restricted funds."

Category	Number of prizes	Years without a prize
Physics	105	6
Chemistry	103	8
Physiology or Medicine	102	9
Literature	104	7
Peace	92	19
Economic Sciences	43	0
Total	549

 

Has anyone ever declined the Nobel Prize? Why?

Six Nobel Laureates have declined the Prize:
Richard Kuhn, the 1938 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. He was "caused by the authorities of his country to decline the award but later received the diploma and the medal";
Adolf Butenandt, the 1939 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, “Caused by the authorities of his country to decline the award but later received the diploma and the medal”;
Gerhard Domagk, the 1939 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, “Caused by the authorities of his country to decline the award but later received the diploma and the medal”;
Boris Pasternak, the 1958 Nobel Prize in Literature, "Accepted first, later caused by the authorities of his country to decline the Prize";
Jean Paul Sartre, the 1964 Nobel Prize in Literature, declined the Prize;
Le Duc Tho, the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize, declined the Prize.

I would like to propose a new Nobel Prize.

The Nobel Prizes, as designated in the Will of Alfred Nobel, are in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and peace. Only once during these years has a prize been added – a Memorial Prize – The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, donated by Sweden's central bank to celebrate its tercentenary in 1968. The Board of Directors later decided to keep the original five prizes intact and not to permit new additions.

Is there any information on the Nobel Prize amount?

There is a table of the Nobel Prize amount in Swedish kronor (SEK).

Why is the Nobel Peace Prize awarded in Oslo and all the other Nobel Prizes in Stockholm?

Alfred Nobel left no explanation as to why the prize for peace was to be awarded by a Norwegian committee while the other four prizes were to be handled by Swedish committees. In the will he wrote:

"The prizes for physics and chemistry shall be awarded by the Swedish Academy of Sciences; that for physiology or medical works by the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm; that for literature by the Academy in Stockholm, and that for champions of peace by a committee of five persons to be elected by the Norwegian Storting."

Read more:
The Nobel Peace Prize 1901-2000 

Is it possible to revoke a Nobel Prize?

No, it is not possible according to the statutes of the Nobel Foundation, § 10.