Women remain dramatically underrepresented among Nobel Prize recipients
Women represent under 11 percent of Nobel laureates since 1901, revealing sustained gender recognition gaps.
Event / Science
Nobel Prize Awards History
Historical overview of Nobel Prize awards spanning 125 years, covering laureate achievements, detention cases, age records, posthumous award policies, gender representation, and notable recipients across all prize categories.
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2026-10-05 to 2026-10-30 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 5 Oct, 11:18 UTC
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What happened
Nobel Prize not awarded in 1948 as tribute to Gandhi's death
The Nobel Peace Prize was not awarded in 1948 as a form of tribute following the death of Mahatma Gandhi.
Nobel Peace Prize awarded to incarcerated activists multiple times in history
Since 1901, at least five Nobel Peace Prize laureates were in detention when the prize was awarded to them. Carl Von Ossietzky, a German journalist and pacifist, was imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp when he won in 1936. Liu Xiaobo, a Chinese dissident, was imprisoned when awarded the prize in 2010, with his chair symbolically left empty at the ceremony. Ales Bialiatski, a Belarusian human rights defender, was incarcerated in 2022 when his wife represented him. Narges Mohammadi, an Iranian activist, celebrated her 2023 Nobel Prize from her cell in Evin prison.
John B. Goodenough receives Nobel Prize in Chemistry at age 97
American scientist John B. Goodenough became the oldest Nobel Prize laureate when he won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry at age 97 in 2019 for his work on lithium-ion batteries, which power electric vehicles.
Lawrence Bragg wins Nobel Prize in Physics at age 25
Australian scientist Lawrence Bragg received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1915 at age 25, which he shared with his father. He had completed the award-winning work at age 21.
Canadian Ralph Steinman honored with Nobel Prize despite posthumous death discovery
In 2011, the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institute discovered that Canadian laureate Ralph Steinman had died three days before the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was announced. Despite this, the Nobel Foundation decided to inscribe his name in the prestigious records.
Women represent less than 11 percent of Nobel Prize laureates since 1901
Of 633 Nobel Prizes awarded since 1901, only 68 have been given to women, representing less than 11 percent. Scientific fields have the lowest proportion of female laureates: only 5 of 230 in Physics, 3 of 99 in Economics, 8 of 200 in Chemistry, and 14 of 232 in Physiology or Medicine. Nobel committees refuse to introduce quotas, preferring to encourage nominations of female scientists.
Marie Curie becomes first woman to win Nobel Prize in 1903
Franco-Polish scientist Marie Curie won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903, becoming the first woman to receive a Nobel Prize. She remains the only person to have won Nobel Prizes in two different scientific fields, winning again in Chemistry in 1911.
Malala Yousafzai becomes youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate at age 17
In 2014, Pakistani human rights activist Malala Yousafzai became the youngest recipient of a Nobel Prize at age 17 when she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Nobel Foundation establishes rule against posthumous prize awards in 1974
Since 1974, Nobel Foundation statutes stipulate that prizes cannot be awarded posthumously, except if death occurs after the laureate's name is announced. Before this rule was formally written, only two deceased Swedes had been honored: poet Erik Axel Karlfeldt (literature, 1931) and UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld (peace, 1961).
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Nobel laureates span from age 17 to 97, showcasing science's generational reach
Nobel laureates range from age 17 to 97, spanning youth activism to late-career scientific achievement.