Who was awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize and for what?
Every year in October, the eyes of the world's scientists, writers, and politicians are turned toward Norway and Sweden: it is precisely at this time that the winners of the Nobel Prize are announced for discoveries and services that have brought the greatest benefit to humanity.
To whom and for what were the 2026 Nobel Prizes awarded?
The winners of the 2026 season were announced from October 5 to 12. The awards in six categories went to scientists, a poet, and a lawyer. The Peace Prize was deemed to be deserved by the head of the UN commission that concluded that genocide had been committed in Gaza. President Trump, who was left without an award this time as well, sharply criticized the Nobel Committee. The prizes will be presented to their owners on December 10 — the anniversary of Alfred Nobel's death — in the cities of Stockholm and Oslo.
The Nobel selection is not an open competition: one cannot apply for it or nominate oneself.
The laureates in physics, chemistry, and economics are chosen by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, while the one in physiology or medicine is selected by the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute, which consists of 50 professors. The winner in literature is determined by the 18-member Swedish Academy. The Peace Prize is awarded by a five-member Nobel Committee appointed by the Norwegian Parliament according to Nobel's will.
In the fields of science and literature, candidates can be nominated by academy members who have received an invitation, previous laureates, and professors in the field, while in literature, chairpersons of writers' associations can also do so. For the Peace Prize, the circle is broader: tens of thousands of people, such as members of parliament and government, heads of state, and professors of history, law, and philosophy, have the right to nominate candidates.
The names of the nominees are kept secret for 50 years. A single prize is awarded to a maximum of three people. A laureate receives a diploma, a gold medal weighing an average of 175 grams, and a cash prize. In 2026, on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the prize, the Nobel Foundation increased the amount of each prize from 11 million to 12 million Swedish kronor. This is equal to approximately 1.2 million US dollars.
Traditionally, the medicine category opened the prizes week: on October 5, the Karolinska Institute announced that the prize was awarded "for discoveries in light-gated ion channels and optogenetics."