By Abigail Philip David
The 2024 Nobel Prize season has kicked off, with two categories already announced and more to follow in the coming days. This globally renowned award, established by Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel in 1901, continues to honor individuals whose work has made a significant impact on humanity.
Covering six major categories—Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, Peace, and Economic Sciences—the Nobel Prizes are revealed every October, with the formal award ceremony held on December 10 each year.
The announcements for 2024 began with the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine on October 7, awarded to Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for their pioneering discovery of microRNA and its vital role in gene regulation.
The following day, October 8, the Nobel Prize in Physics was presented to John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton for their fundamental contributions to machine learning and artificial neural networks.
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry is expected to be announced today, October 9, at 11:45 CEST. Later this week, the Nobel Prize in Literature will be announced on Thursday, October 10, at 13:00 CEST, followed by the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, October 11, at 11:00 CEST.
The season will conclude with the announcement of the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel on Monday, October 14, at 11:45 CEST.
The Nobel Foundation, which manages the funds left by Nobel, ensures that his vision—rewarding those who have “conferred the greatest benefit to humankind”—remains a guiding principle. Since the first prizes were awarded in 1901, there have been 623 total awards given to 1,004 laureates, recognizing 969 individuals and 27 organizations.
Each year, the Nobel selection process begins with thousands of nominations submitted by academics, scientists, and members of parliaments around the world. The details of these nominations remain confidential for 50 years, maintaining the integrity of the selection process.
As we anticipate the rest of the 2024 laureates, this tradition, over a century old, continues to influence global thought and inspire future generations.
### Nigeria’s Only Nobel Laureate: Wole Soyinka
Nigeria has had one Nobel laureate to date—Wole Soyinka, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986. He became the first African to receive this honor, recognized for his profound works that merge traditional African theater with Western literary styles, often addressing issues of oppression, tyranny, and human dignity.
Soyinka’s Nobel citation celebrated him as a writer who “in a wide cultural perspective and with poetic overtones, fashions the drama of existence.” His win remains a landmark achievement for Nigeria and the African continent.
### Nobel Prize Medal and Prize Money
The Nobel Prize medal, bearing the image of Alfred Nobel on the front, varies in design on the reverse depending on the awarding institution. The current prize money stands at SEK 11 million (approximately $1 million) per full Nobel Prize, which can be shared by up to three laureates.
**Nobel Prize History by Category:**
– **Physics** (1901–2024): 118 prizes awarded to 227 laureates.
– **Chemistry** (1901–2023): 115 prizes awarded to 194 laureates.
– **Physiology or Medicine** (1901–2024): 115 prizes awarded to 229 laureates.
– **Literature** (1901–2023): 116 prizes awarded to 120 laureates.
– **Peace** (1901–2023): 104 prizes awarded to 141 laureates.
– **Economic Sciences** (1901–2023): 55 prizes awarded to 93 laureates.
As the Nobel Prize season unfolds, these prestigious awards continue to highlight extraordinary contributions that benefit humankind.
