The Unsung Heroes of Science: A World Beyond the Nobel Prizes
Since their inception in 1901, the Nobel Prizes have strictly adhered to the scientific categories laid out in Alfred Nobel’s will: physiology or medicine, physics, and chemistry. Even as scientific research has evolved into increasingly interconnected, interdisciplinary fields, calls to expand these categories have gone unanswered. This tradition will continue as this year’s Nobel laureates are announced.
However, a vibrant ecosystem of other prestigious awards has flourished, stepping in to recognize monumental achievements in fields beyond the Nobel’s scope.
Let’s explore some of these remarkable accolades that scientists and mathematicians worldwide can strive for, highlighting their purpose and recent winners.
The Abel Prize for Mathematics: Honoring Numerical Brilliance
Founded in 2002, the Abel Prize annually bestows 7.5 million Norwegian kroner (approximately $750,000) upon a mathematician for ‘pioneering scientific achievements’ in their discipline. This esteemed award is a tribute to the legendary Norwegian mathematician Niels Henrik Abel and is presented by the Norwegian Academy of Sciences and Letters.
This past March, Masaki Kashiwara of Kyoto University in Japan was named this year’s Abel laureate for his profoundly abstract work, which brilliantly integrated algebra, geometry, and differential equations.
Historically, only one woman has received the Abel Prize: Karen Uhlenbeck, a distinguished mathematician from the University of Texas, honored in 2019 for her groundbreaking contributions to geometric analysis.
Another highly regarded mathematics award is the Fields Medal, presented quadrennially. However, unlike the Abel Prize and the Nobels, the Fields Medal is exclusively awarded to mathematicians under the age of 40, recognizing exceptional early-career achievement.
The Lasker Awards: Advancing Human Health
Annually, the Lasker Foundation celebrates foundational discoveries and medical breakthroughs that significantly enhance human health. Established in 1945, these prizes grant $250,000 to recipients across three categories: basic research, clinical research, and special achievement. A public service award is also presented every two years.
Named in honor of Mary and Albert Lasker, these awards are considered among the most esteemed in medicine, frequently preceding a Nobel Prize for many of their recipients. This year’s Lasker laureates were recognized for their vital work exploring cellular intricacies, novel biological states, and innovative treatments for cystic fibrosis.
The Turing Award for Computer Science: The ‘Nobel’ of Computing
The Association for Computing Machinery created this $1 million award in tribute to Alan Turing, the British mathematician often hailed as the visionary father of modern computer science. Since 1966, the Turing Award has been presented annually for outstanding contributions to computing, encompassing fields like cryptography and artificial intelligence, with Google proudly sponsoring it since 2014.
This year, Andrew Barto from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Richard Sutton from the University of Alberta jointly received the Turing Award. Their pioneering research in ‘reinforcement learning’ established crucial groundwork for the development of artificial intelligence.
The Kavli Prizes: Honoring Astrophysics, Nanoscience, and Neuroscience
The Kavli Prizes celebrate scientists who make transformative breakthroughs in astrophysics, nanoscience, and neuroscience. These prestigious awards are presented biannually through a collaborative effort involving the Kavli Foundation, the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research, and the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters.
Each Kavli Prize, valued at $1 million per field, was initiated in 2008 and named after Fred Kavli, a remarkable Norwegian American philanthropist. His profound passion for science blossomed after his studies in physics at the Norwegian Institute of Technology.
In 2024, the awards recognized three distinct groups for their pioneering contributions to exoplanet science, the development of biologically nanostructured materials, and unlocking the neuroscience underpinning facial recognition.
The Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement: The ‘Nobel’ of the Environment
Frequently hailed as the ‘Nobel Prize for the environment,’ the Tyler Prize acknowledges outstanding individuals and organizations—including scientists, ecologists, economists, and policymakers—whose dedicated efforts ‘preserve and enhance’ our natural world.
This annual international honor, accompanied by a $250,000 prize, was founded in 1973 by John Tyler, a co-founder of Farmers Insurance Group, and Alice Tyler.
The most recent Tyler Prize, awarded in 2025, went to Sandra Díaz, an Argentine ecologist, and Eduardo Brondízio, a Brazilian American anthropologist. Their impactful work focused on establishing the critical links between biodiversity and human well-being, making them the first South American laureates of this award.
Previous honorees include the celebrated chimpanzee expert and conservationist Jane Goodall, and Nobel laureate Mario Molina, a chemist recognized for his pivotal research on how a common class of chemicals was depleting Earth’s vital ozone layer.
The Vetlesen Prize for Geology: Recognizing Earth Science Excellence
Conceived in 1959, the Vetlesen Prize was established to specifically recognize earth-science researchers whose profound contributions might otherwise be overlooked by the Nobel Committee.
Named after the generous shipping magnate and philanthropist Georg Unger Vetlesen, this award is typically presented approximately every three years, with each laureate receiving $250,000.
Previous winners have been credited with major discoveries, such as uncovering evidence that a meteor wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago, formulating the pivotal theory of plate tectonics, and enhancing predictive methods for potentially deadly volcanic eruptions.
In 2023, David Kohlstedt of the University of Minnesota was the latest recipient, honored for his laboratory research that successfully replicated the extreme temperature, pressure, and chemical environments of Earth’s mantle. This groundbreaking work led to significant insights into the fundamental mechanics of our planet.
The Wolf Prizes for Sciences and the Arts: Celebrating Interdisciplinary Genius
Annually, the Wolf Foundation in Israel grants four distinct prizes for research that has yielded pivotal breakthroughs across physics, medicine, mathematics, chemistry, or agriculture.
An additional prize is also awarded to an artist (for instance, Paul McCartney received it in 2018). Each of these prestigious awards comes with a $100,000 prize.
Often viewed as a strong indicator for future Nobel success, the Wolf Prize uniquely extends its recognition to scholars operating outside the traditional Nobel categories. This year, the honored scientists made strides in areas such as plant disease resistance, chemical catalysis, magnetic field research, and the study of human antibodies.
The Kyoto Prizes: A Global Salute to Excellence
Established in 1984 by Japanese industrialist Kazuo Inamori, the Kyoto Prize was conceived to honor outstanding achievements in fields not typically recognized by the Nobel Prize. It is structured into three categories: advanced technology, basic sciences, and arts and philosophy.
Annually, the Inamori Foundation awards one laureate in each category with 100 million yen (approximately $670,000).
The 2025 Kyoto Prize recipients were revealed in June. Shun-ichi Amari, a mathematical engineer from Teikyo University, was honored with the advanced-technology award for his groundbreaking theoretical contributions to artificial intelligence. In the basic-sciences category, Azim Surani, a developmental biologist at the University of Cambridge, received recognition for his pivotal research on the indispensable role of both maternal and paternal genomes in mammalian development.
The Millennium Technology Prize: Innovations for a Better World
Every two years, Technology Academy Finland presents the Millennium Technology Prize, celebrating innovations that contribute to a more sustainable world and improved quality of life. Launched in 2004, this €1 million (approximately $1.1 million) prize has previously recognized transformative inventions like affordable solar cells and advanced DNA sequencing technologies.
In 2024, Bantval Jayant Baliga, an engineer at North Carolina State University, was awarded the prize for his invention of a widely adopted semiconductor device.
The Draper Prize for Engineering: Impacting Lives Through Innovation
Awarded biannually since 1989 by the National Academy of Engineering, the Draper Prize recognizes an engineer from any discipline whose ingenious inventions have made a profound difference in improving the quality of human life.
This $500,000 cash prize honors Charles Stark Draper, an American engineer famed for inventing a crucial navigation technique.
The 2024 laureate was physicist Stuart Parkin of the Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics in Germany, recognized for his development of ‘spintronic’ (spin electronic) devices, which are fundamental to the cloud storage of immense digital data.
The Ig Nobel Prize: Celebrating the Humorous Side of Science
The Ig Nobel Prize, a clever play on the word ‘ignoble,’ is a highly anticipated satirical award. Established in 1991 by Marc Abrahams, editor of the Annals of Improbable Research magazine, it spotlights peer-reviewed studies that first ‘make people laugh, then think.’
This year’s diverse winning research included a fascinating paper demonstrating that cows painted with zebra-like stripes are less prone to biting fly attacks, alongside a detailed study analyzing the unique phase behavior of the beloved traditional Italian pasta dish, cacio e pepe.
In stark contrast to the formal Nobel Prize ceremony in Stockholm, the Ig Nobel Prizes are celebrated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a lively, themed event featuring unconventional elements like paper-plane throwing, operatic performances, and ’24/7′ lectures (presentations that deliver a full explanation in 24 seconds, followed by a 7-word summary).
Interestingly, actual Nobel laureates (winners of the Nobel Prize) have consistently participated, presenting awards at every single Ig Nobel event, bridging the gap between serious and seriously funny science.
Additional reporting for this article was provided by Katrina Miller and Teddy Rosenbluth.