Alfred Nobel
Alfred
Nobel was born on 21st october
1833,in Stockholm,Sweden.
His father was Immanuel Nobel, a self-made engineer, inventor, and entrepreneur who had been formally schooled only to the age of 14. His mother was Andriette Ahlsell, an accountant’s daughter.
Although at first Immanuel Nobel’s business prospered, by the time Alfred was born, his father was bankrupt. A series of business misfortunes followed by the family home burning to the ground had left the family penniless.
Alfred was their fourth-born child and barely survived his first few days. He suffered ill-health for most of his life. Alfred’s mother and her sickly son formed a strong bond through the years of constant care she gave him during his frequent illnesses.
His father was Immanuel Nobel, a self-made engineer, inventor, and entrepreneur who had been formally schooled only to the age of 14. His mother was Andriette Ahlsell, an accountant’s daughter.
Although at first Immanuel Nobel’s business prospered, by the time Alfred was born, his father was bankrupt. A series of business misfortunes followed by the family home burning to the ground had left the family penniless.
Alfred was their fourth-born child and barely survived his first few days. He suffered ill-health for most of his life. Alfred’s mother and her sickly son formed a strong bond through the years of constant care she gave him during his frequent illnesses.
Nobel
had an extraordinarily innovative mind, from which new ideas poured.
His genius was bolstered by steely determination to succeed and a huge capacity for hard work. These were driven by bitter memories of the poverty his family endured when he was a young boy.
His genius was bolstered by steely determination to succeed and a huge capacity for hard work. These were driven by bitter memories of the poverty his family endured when he was a young boy.
In
November 1863, Nobel mixed nitroglycerin with porous substances such as coal
and produced a very powerful and stable explosive that could be detonated
reliably.
In January 1864, he applied for a Swedish patent for this mixture. He then did nothing. He was too busy manufacturing and selling nitroglycerin and fighting patent disputes.
As he saw more and more nitroglycerin accidents occurring, Nobel returned to his experiments with nitroglycerin and porous substances. These experiments resulted in his creation of dynamite.
Nobel chose the word dynamite from the Greek word dynamis, which meanspower. He believed it would be used mainly for peaceful purposes.
Dynamite was safer to handle than nitroglycerin, but not as powerful an explosive.
In January 1864, he applied for a Swedish patent for this mixture. He then did nothing. He was too busy manufacturing and selling nitroglycerin and fighting patent disputes.
As he saw more and more nitroglycerin accidents occurring, Nobel returned to his experiments with nitroglycerin and porous substances. These experiments resulted in his creation of dynamite.
Nobel chose the word dynamite from the Greek word dynamis, which meanspower. He believed it would be used mainly for peaceful purposes.
Dynamite was safer to handle than nitroglycerin, but not as powerful an explosive.
Throughout
his adult life, Nobel lived with an internal conflict. He saw himself as an
honest, hardworking scientist, inventor and businessman. He remembered his
impoverished roots, and gave a lot of his money to help the poor.
Yet, because of the huge amount of money he made from arms, he knew he was
regarded by many people as villainous. In fact, soon after the death of his
brother Ludvig
in 1888, Alfred turned to the newspaper obituaries. There he discovered his own
obituary had been published in error. He read: “The Merchant of Death is
Dead.”
This could hardly have been comforting reading!
It calls to mind the image of Scrooge transported by the Ghost of Christmas Future to see that nobody was grieving at his funeral.
It calls to mind the image of Scrooge transported by the Ghost of Christmas Future to see that nobody was grieving at his funeral.
Having glimpsed one possible future, Nobel, like Scrooge, decided to use his
money to shape a better world.
Nobel bequeathed 94 percent of his enormous wealth to fund five annual prizes
in:
1.chemistry
2.physics
3.medical science or physiology
4.literature
the person or society that renders the greatest service to the cause of international fraternity, in the suppression or reduction of standing armies, or in the establishment or furtherance of peace congresses
1.chemistry
2.physics
3.medical science or physiology
4.literature
the person or society that renders the greatest service to the cause of international fraternity, in the suppression or reduction of standing armies, or in the establishment or furtherance of peace congresses
The first Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1901.
And, of course, we must remember that Nobel’s explosives were frequently used
for peaceful purposes, creating, for example, hydroelectric dams and transport
links, without which our societies would be much less prosperous than they
are.
source:
- https://bienbuenoblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/alfred-nobel-sijoy-thomas4.jpg
- https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6a/Nobel_medal.png
- https://www.nobelprize.org/educational/images/young_alfred_nobel.jpg
- http://www.famousscientists.org/alfred-nobel/
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