Nobel Prize (2025)
The Nobel Prizes are among the most prestigious awards in the world, administered by the Nobel Foundation and granted according to the principle of honoring those whose work provides the “greatest benefit to humankind.” Established in accordance with the will of Alfred Nobel, the prizes were first awarded in 1901, five years after Nobel’s death.
Categories and Recognition
Originally, the Nobel Prizes covered five fields:
Except under extraordinary circumstances such as war, all six prizes are awarded annually. Each laureate receives:
No more than three individuals can share a single prize, though the Nobel Peace Prize can also be awarded to organizations. The prizes are not awarded posthumously, but if a recipient dies after being selected, the prize is presented posthumously.
Between 1901 and 2024, the five original Nobel Prizes and the Prize in Economic Sciences (since 1969) have been awarded 627 times to 1,012 individuals and organizations. Five individuals and two organizations have won more than one Nobel Prize.
History and Alfred Nobel
Alfred Nobel was born on 21 October 1833 in Stockholm, Sweden, into a family of engineers. He was a chemist, engineer, and inventor, known for 355 inventions, including dynamite and ballistite, an early form of smokeless explosive. Nobel amassed a vast fortune through his inventions and business ventures, including ownership of the Bofors iron and steel mill, which he transformed into a major armaments manufacturer.
A popular—but unverified—story recounts that in 1888, Nobel read his own obituary in a French newspaper, titled “The Merchant of Death Is Dead”, due to confusion over his brother Ludvig’s death.
Whether true or not, the story is said to have influenced Nobel to consider how he would be remembered, inspiring him to draft his final will. Nobel passed away on 10 December 1896 in his villa in San Remo, Italy, from a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 63.
Nobel Prize in Physics 2025: Quantum Physics on a Human Scale
The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded jointly to John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret, and John M. Martinis for their groundbreaking work “for the discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantisation in an electric circuit.”
Laureates and Their Contributions
Their work focused on electrical circuits that are big enough to hold in the hand, yet display inherently quantum behaviors—showing that quantum mechanics is not limited to microscopic particles like electrons or atoms.
Key Discoveries
These experiments addressed one of physics’ major questions: how large a system can be while still exhibiting quantum behavior?
Implications for Technology
The discoveries by Clarke, Devoret, and Martinis are foundational for the next generation of quantum technologies, including:
Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025: Building New Rooms for Chemistry
The 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded jointly to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M. Yaghi “for the development of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs).”
Laureates and Their Contributions
What Are Metal–Organic Frameworks?
Metal–organic frameworks are molecular architectures composed of metal ions linked by organic molecules, forming crystalline structures with large internal spaces or “rooms.” These frameworks allow gases and other chemicals to flow through and interact with the material in highly controlled ways.
Applications and Impact
The development of MOFs has opened new avenues in chemistry and technology, including:
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2025: Understanding How the Immune System is Kept in Check
The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded jointly to Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi “for their discoveries concerning peripheral immune tolerance.”
Laureates and Their Contributions
Peripheral Immune Tolerance
The body’s immune system is incredibly powerful, designed to defend against infections and abnormal cells. However, without proper regulation, it can attack the body’s own organs, leading to autoimmune diseases.
The laureates discovered how the immune system is kept in check through a process called peripheral immune tolerance. Their work revealed the cellular and molecular mechanisms that prevent self-destruction by the immune system.
Implications for Medicine
These discoveries have paved the way for new research and therapeutic approaches, including:
Nobel Prize in Literature 2025: The Visionary Work of László Krasznahorkai
The 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded to László Krasznahorkai “for his compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art.”
About the Laureate
László Krasznahorkai, a Hungarian author, is celebrated for his epic and visionary writing in the Central European literary tradition. His work builds on the legacy of writers such as Franz Kafka and Thomas Bernhard, characterized by:
Over time, Krasznahorkai has expanded his literary range, incorporating influences from Eastern philosophy, resulting in a more contemplative and finely calibrated tone in his later works.
Significance of His Work
Krasznahorkai’s writing often depicts apocalyptic or chaotic worlds, yet it emphasizes the enduring power of art to provide insight, reflection, and meaning. His novels challenge readers to confront human vulnerability, societal collapse, and existential uncertainty, while affirming the transformative potential of literature.
Nobel Peace Prize 2025: Maria Corina Machado — Champion of Democracy and Peace
The Nobel Peace Prize 2025 has been awarded to Maria Corina Machado “for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.”
About the Laureate
Maria Corina Machado is a Venezuelan opposition leader and pro‑democracy activist who has become one of the most prominent civilian figures advocating for democratic rights in her country. Born in Caracas in 1967, she has spent decades working for free elections, judicial independence, human rights, and representative government despite intense repression and personal risk.
Machado co‑founded the vote‑monitoring organisation Súmate and has been a central figure in Venezuela’s opposition movement, uniting previously divided parties and movements around the common goal of democratic reform. She was later barred from running for president in the 2024 election and continues her activism amid ongoing political challenges at home.
Why She Won
The Norwegian Nobel Committee cited Machado’s civilian courage and her role in keeping “the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness” as key reasons for awarding her the Peace Prize. The committee highlighted her leadership in mobilising peaceful civic efforts to demand free and fair elections and representative government in the face of an increasingly authoritarian regime in Venezuela.
The award recognises not only her individual efforts but also the broader movement she represents — the struggle for democratic rights and peaceful transition in a context where the rule of law and civil liberties have been under severe strain
Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences 2025: Understanding How Innovation Drives Growth
The 2025 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences has been awarded jointly to Joel Mokyr, Philippe Aghion, and Peter Howitt for their groundbreaking research on the mechanisms behind sustained economic growth.
Laureates and Their Contributions
Key Discoveries
The laureates’ research answers one of economics’ most important questions: why has sustained economic growth occurred only in the last two centuries? Their findings emphasize:
