By the numbers: The history of the Nobel Peace Prize and its winners

Swedish inventor, businessman and philanthropist Alfred Nobel signs his last will and testament, donating a considerable chunk of his fortune to a series of prizes rewarding those who serve humanity. The Nobel Prize is subsequently established.

The first ever Nobel Prizes are given out to laureates, including Swiss humanitarian Henry Dunant, who founded the International Committee of the Red Cross and initiated the first Geneva Convention.

Polish-French physicist Marie Curie becomes the first female laureate after winning the Nobel Prize in Physics for her work on radiation. She goes on to win the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1911; to date, she is the only woman to have been recognised twice.

French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre declines the Nobel Prize in Literature, due to his personal stance of declining all official honours. He is the first person to ever pass on receiving the honour.

17-year-old Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai receives the Nobel Peace Prize for championing girls’ rights to education, making her the youngest Nobel laureate in history.

At the other end of the spectrum, 97-year-old American scientist John B Goodenough receives the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, making him the oldest Nobel laureate thus far.

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This article was originally published in the December 2019 issue of SilverKris magazine