CNN reported that this week will boast Nobel Prize announcements starting, with today's announcement for physiology or medicine. The prize for physics will be announced on Tuesday, followed by chemistry on Wednesday. Nobel's prize for peace will be awarded on Friday. According to CNN, the economics prize will be awarded Oct. 13 and the literature prize will be announced at a later date.
According to nobelprize.org, Alfred Nobel started the awards in 1895 when he signed his last will and testament. He provided a share of his fortune for prizes in physics, chemistry, literature, peace, and physiology or medicine. In 1968, Sweden's central bank established the prize in economic sciences in Nobel's memory.
Nobel's will is quoted on nobelprize.org and gives the requirements for a prize in medicine or psychology:
"...The whole of my remaining realizable estate shall be dealt with in the following way: The capital shall be invested by my executors in safe securities and shall constitute a fund, the interest on which shall be annually distributed in the form of prizes to those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind ... ; one part to the person who shall have made the most important discovery within the domain of physiology or medicine; ... The prizes for ... shall be awarded by ... that for physiology or medicine by the Carolinska Institute in Stockholm; ... "
You can watch the announcements live, starting today, on Nobel Prize's YouTube.
