Nobel Prize-awarded work on microwaves revolutionised our ways of communicating and helped us understand the origins of the universe.
-
Microscopes play a key role in advancing research, in part thanks to the work of Nobel Prize laureates whose breakthroughs have allowed the tool to evolve.
Discoveries 50 years ago: the 1976 Nobel Prizes
Innovator of the American novel
-
Nobel Prize in Physics 1976
A new elementary particle
The discovery of a new heavy particle, J/psi, opened a new field of research. -
Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1976
Studies on boranes
This work improved our understanding of how atoms bind together within molecules. -
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1976
Origin of infectious diseases
Their work defined completely new principles for the behaviour of infectious diseases. -
Banquet menu
Curious to know what was served at the 1976 Nobel Prize banquet dinner? Browse the banquet menu archive.
-
Nobel Peace Prize 1976
Building peace from below
A deadly tragedy motivated Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan to found a movement to put an end to the conflict in Northern Ireland. -
Prize in economic sciences 1976
Founder of monetarism
An influential economist of the second half of the 20th century, Milton Friedman became one of the leaders of the Chicago school of economics.
Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1960
A help in solving crimes and a revealer of history’s secrets: radiocarbon dating is one of the keys that unlocks our world.
“The Castle by Kafka remained, until today, the most beautiful secret in literature for me”
Listen to 2025 literature laureate László Krasznahorkai talk about the book that made him become a writer.
Stories of literature prize-awarded women
She makes young protesters’ voices heard
-
Nobel Prize in Literature 2024
“Imagination is the wonderful ability of humans”
Han Kang on imagination, how writing has changed her and what books mean to her. -
Nobel Prize in Literature 1993
“Once upon a time there was an old woman”
Read and listen to Toni Morrison’s Nobel Prize lecture. -
Nobel Prize in Literature 1996
”I prefer exceptions”
Read Possibilities and more poetry by Wisława Szymborska. -
Nobel Prize in Literature 1945
Voice for the marginalised
Gabriela Mistral crossed over from teaching to politics and became one of Chile’s most celebrated poets.
For curious learners
Close up of A positive blood in bag.
Credit: ER Productions Limited/Getty Images
Nobel Peace Prize documentaries
He gives hope to those who lost a limb
-
UNHCR, Nobel Peace Prize 1954 and 1981
Helps reunite families
Kamal Hussein is a beacon of hope for Rohingya families torn apart by violence and ethnic cleansing. -
ICBL, Nobel Peace Prize 1997
Clears the land of mines
For the all-female team of Yazidi deminers, one wrong move means certain death. -
IPCC, Nobel Peace Prize 2007
Human effects on nature
Follow one team’s extraordinary mission to help understand how climate change is affecting our planet. -
Nelson Mandela, Nobel Peace Prize 1993
Overcoming violence
This orchestra uses the power of music to help South Africa overcome decades of violence and division.
Explore the contributions, careers and lives of women who have been awarded Nobel Prizes for their scientific achievements.
Photo: Johns Hopkins Medicine
More Nobel Prize-awarded work in medicine
-
Follow Ishrat Rahim who vaccinates children against polio in Pakistan.
-
Over the years, Nobel Prize-awarded advances in medicine show that remarkable progress is possible.
-
Read about how scientists found ways to use the immune system to treat cancer.
Spotlight on diabetes
Despite the Nobel Prize-awarded discovery of insulin and advances in diabetes treatment, amputations continue to devastate communities around the world. Follow Dr Foluso Fakorede, who fights to save lives in the Mississippi Delta.
Related content
-
The story behind insulin
The discovery of insulin and subsequent breakthroughs by Nobel Prize laureates led to advancements in how we treat the chronic disease. -
Mapped the structure of insulin
Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin used X-ray crystallography to “see” the molecules of penicillin, vitamin B12 and insulin.
Listen to the podcast series Nobel Prize Conversations
The 2024 chemistry laureate believes that progress in science is made by working together and sharing ideas. Listen to him talk about how he sees mentoring as one of the most essential parts of his job.
Hear the 2024 physics laureate talk about the development of AI, his fascination with understanding the human brain and how his family legacy of successful scientists put pressure on Hinton to follow in their footsteps.
“Asking is hard. Once you realise there’s an interesting question to develop answers to, it is even harder.” Listen to the 2024 economic sciences laureate.
Aage Bohr and Niels Bohr on the occasion of the defence of Aage's doctoral thesis, 1954.
Photo: Niels Bohr Archive, Copenhagen.