Six days, six prizes

Soon, we will reveal the 2026 Nobel Prize laureates. After a long selection process, the Nobel Prize-awarding institutions make their choices of the discoveries and achievements that – in keeping with the vision of Alfred Nobel – have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind.  

Starting on 5 October, we will announce the scientists, writers and promoters of peace that will receive this year’s prizes. You can follow the announcements live on nobelprize.org

At the Nobel Prize Museum and many other venues in Stockholm, Sweden, there will be experiences that inspire, engage and spread knowledge. Discover more

How are the Nobel Prize laureates selected?

Each year, thousands of members of academies, university professors, scientists, previous Nobel Prize laureates and members of parliamentary assemblies and others, submit candidates for the Nobel Prizes for the coming year. After receiving all nominations, the Nobel Committees of the four prize-awarding institutions are responsible for the selection of the candidates. Read more about the nomination process

How would you react?

Surprised, overwhelmed, terrified, happy. How would you react if you were awarded the Nobel Prize? Watch and read some recollections of those special moments when the ‘magic call’ came through

The very moment ICAN’s Beatrice Fihn received the call and learnt that ICAN had received the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize.

Carolyn Bertozzi receiving her Nobel Prize in Chemistry from H.M. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden at Konserthuset Stockholm on 10 December 2022. Photo: Clément Morin © Nobel Prize Outreach

125 years of Nobel Prizes 

The first Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1901 and have, with few exceptions, been awarded annually since then. The Nobel Prize was set up when inventor and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel died and left most of his fortune to the establishment of prizes in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and peace. In 1968, Sveriges Riksbank (Sweden’s central bank) established the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel.

Do you want to know more about the Nobel Prize? Find out here

“I got up angrily to answer the phone… and it was Stockholm” 

Harvey Alter’s anger at being disturbed by a call in the night was quickly transformed when he learned he had been awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery of the Hepatitis C virus.

Harvey Alter. Photo: NIH/Chiachi Chang

In this call, recorded shortly after he heard the news, he describes the 50-year quest that led to his Nobel Prize. Listen here

Jane Addams' nomination for Carl von Ossietzky. From the archives of the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

Browse the nomination archive 

The names of the nominees for the Nobel Prize cannot be revealed until 50 years have passed. On nobelprize.org, you can search the nomination archive to find the nomination records for prizes that took place more than 50 years ago: who nominated a certain laureate, and who were the other candidates? The archives have now opened up for the nominees for the 1975 literature prize, which was awarded to Eugenio Montale. Browse the nomination database

Interested in learning more?

Discover more Nobel Prize stories at nobelprize.org.