Facts on the Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Number of Nobel Prizes in Chemistry

104 Nobel Prizes in Chemistry have been awarded since 1901. It was not awarded on eight occasions: in 1916, 1917, 1919, 1924, 1933, 1940, 1941 and 1942.

Why were the Chemistry Prizes not awarded in those years? 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." During World War I and II, fewer Nobel Prizes were awarded.

Number of shared and unshared Nobel Prizes in Chemistry

63 Chemistry Prizes have been given to one Laureate only.
23 Chemistry Prizes have been shared by two Laureates.
18 Chemistry Prizes have been shared between three Laureates.

Why is that? In the statutes of the Nobel Foundation it says: "A prize amount may be equally divided between two works, each of which is considered to merit a prize. If a work that is being rewarded has been produced by two or three persons, the prize shall be awarded to them jointly. In no case may a prize amount be divided between more than three persons."

Number of Nobel Laureates* in Chemistry

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to 163 Laureates 1901-2012. As Frederick Sanger has been awarded twice, there are 162 individuals who have received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry since 1901.

List of all Nobel Prize Laureates in Chemistry

Average age

The average age of all Chemistry Laureates between 1901 and 2012 is 57 years.
More information about Chemistry Laureates and age

Youngest Chemistry Laureate

To date, the youngest Nobel Laureate in Chemistry is Frédéric Joliot, who was 35 years old when he was awarded the Chemistry Prize in 1935, together with his wife, Irène Joliot-Curie.

Oldest Chemistry Laureate

The oldest Nobel Laureate in Chemistry to date is John B. Fenn, who was 85 years old when he was awarded the Chemistry Prize in 2002.

Female Nobel Laureates in Chemistry

Of the 162 individuals awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, only four are women. Two of these four women, Marie Curie and Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin, were awarded with unshared Chemistry Prizes.

1911 - Marie Curie (also awarded the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics)

1935 - Irène Joliot-Curie (daughter of Marie Curie and wife to Frédéric Joliot)

1964 - Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin

2009 - Ada Yonath

List of all 43 female Nobel Laureates

Multiple Nobel Laureates in Chemistry

Marie Curie Physics 1903 Chemistry 1911	Linus Pauling Chemistry 1954 Peace 1962	Frederick Sanger Chemistry 1958 Chemistry 1980

Linus Pauling is the only person who have been awarded two unshared Nobel Prizes.

See list of multiple Nobel Laureates within other Nobel Prize categories here.

Posthumous Nobel Prizes in Chemistry

There have been no posthumous Nobel Prizes in Chemistry. From 1974, the Statutes of the Nobel Foundation stipulate that a Nobel Prize cannot be awarded posthumously, unless death has occurred after the announcement of the Nobel Prize. Before 1974, the Nobel Prize has only been awarded posthumously twice: to Dag Hammarskjöld (Nobel Peace Prize 1961) and Erik Axel Karlfeldt (Nobel Prize in Literature 1931).

Family Nobel Laureates in Chemistry

The Curies were the most successful "Nobel Prize family”. The husband-and-wife partnership of Marie Curie and Pierre Curie were awarded the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics. Marie Curie herself was awarded the Nobel Prize a second time, receiving the 1911 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Marie and Pierre Curie's daughter, Irène Joliot-Curie, was awarded the 1935 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, together with her husband, Frédéric Joliot.

Read more about Marie and Pierre Curie and the Discovery of Polonium and Radium.

More "Nobel Prize families", where at least one member was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry:
Hans von Euler-Chelpin (father), Nobel Laureate in Chemistry 1929.
Ulf von Euler (son), Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine 1970.

Arthur Kornberg (father), Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine 1959.
Roger D. Kornberg (son), Nobel Laureate in Chemistry 2006.

Two Nobel Laureates in Chemistry have been forced by authorities to decline the Nobel Prize

Adolf Hitler forbade three German Nobel Laureates from receiving the Nobel Prize - two of whom were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Richard Kuhn in 1938 and Adolf Butenandt in 1939. The third person, Gerhard Domagk was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1939. All of them could receive the Nobel Prize Diploma and Medal later, but not the prize amount.

Nobel Laureate Partnerships in Biomedical Science

Many long scientific partnerships have resulted in Nobel Prizes:

List compiled in 2012, courtesy of Joseph L. Goldstein.

* Why are the individuals and organisations awarded a Nobel Prize called Nobel Laureates?
The word "Laureate" refers to being signified by the laurel wreath. In Greek mythology, the god Apollo is represented wearing a laurel wreath on his head. A laurel wreath is a circular crown made of branches and leaves of the bay laurel (In latin: Laurus nobilis). In Ancient Greece, laurel wreaths were awarded to victors as a sign of honour - both in athletic competitions and in poetic meets.

Links to more facts on the Nobel Prizes:
Facts on the Nobel Prize in Physics
Facts on the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
Facts on the Nobel Prize in Literature
Facts on the Nobel Peace Prize
Facts on the Prize in Economic Sciences
Facts on all Nobel Prizes
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