Alfred Nobel
The inventor of dynamite who, haunted by its destructive legacy, founded the world's most prestigious prizes for peace and science.
1833–1896 (age 63)·Swedish chemist and inventor·Birthday: October 21
Biography
Alfred Nobel was a man of profound contradiction: a pacifist who made a fortune from explosives, a lonely inventor who sought to uplift humanity. Trained as a chemist, his breakthrough came with the stabilization of nitroglycerine into dynamite, a tool he believed would advance mining and construction—and which inevitably revolutionized warfare. The epithet 'merchant of death,' mistakenly published in an obituary while he was still alive, horrified him. It catalyzed a radical final act. Upon his death, his will directed his vast wealth to establish annual prizes honoring those who conferred the 'greatest benefit on mankind' in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, and peace. In one stroke, he transformed his legacy from destruction to celebration of human ingenuity and compassion, ensuring he would be remembered not for the tools of war, but for the champions of progress.
#1 When Alfred Was Born
The biggest hits of 1833
Alfred's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1833Born
1838Started school
1846Became a teenager
1849Could drive
1851Could vote
1854Turned 21
1863Turned 30
President: Abraham Lincoln
1873Turned 40
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1883Turned 50
President: Chester A. Arthur
1893Turned 60
World's Columbian Exposition dazzles Chicago
President: Grover Cleveland
1896Died at 63
First modern Olympic Games held in Athens
President: Grover Cleveland
Key Achievements
- Invented dynamite in 1867, creating a stable and manageable form of nitroglycerine that transformed industries and warfare.
- Held 355 patents across his lifetime for inventions ranging from synthetic leather to a smokeless gunpowder called ballistite.
- Established the Nobel Prizes through his last will and testament, dedicating his fortune to award groundbreaking contributions to humanity.
- Founded the company Bofors, which he turned from an iron and steel producer into a major armaments manufacturer.
Did You Know?
He was fluent in five languages: Swedish, Russian, French, English, and German.
He never married, and his will was contested by relatives after his death, causing significant delays in awarding the first prizes.
He was a prolific writer in his youth, composing poetry and a tragedy in English called 'Nemesis.'
The synthetic element nobelium is named in his honor.
“If I have a thousand ideas and only one turns out to be good, I am satisfied.”
