The highly anticipated Nobel Prize season is upon us once again! Each October, distinguished committees in Sweden and Norway unveil the brilliant minds and impactful organizations honored for their groundbreaking contributions across science, literature, economics, and peace. A total of six prestigious prizes will be celebrated this year. The deserving laureates will be presented with their iconic Nobel Prize medals and diplomas during a special ceremony in Stockholm this December. Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s awards.
What Are the Nobel Prizes?
Each year, six Nobel Prizes are bestowed upon individuals or organizations that have made extraordinary contributions in their respective fields. These include awards for physiology or medicine, physics, chemistry, economic sciences, literature, and peace work. The Nobel Peace Prize, in particular, often garners significant public interest due to the renowned individuals and groups considered for this esteemed honor.
For 2025, an impressive 338 candidates are vying for the Nobel Peace Prize, comprising 244 individuals and 94 organizations. This number slightly surpasses last year’s 286 nominations, though it’s still shy of the record 376 candidates nominated in 2016.
The distinguished list of past Nobel Peace Prize recipients features figures like Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzai (2014); President Barack Obama (2009); Nelson Mandela and F.W. de Klerk (1993); the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso (1989); and Mother Teresa (1979).
A Nobel Prize medal is shown at the National Library of Colombia in Bogota, a symbol of the prestigious awards. The committee meeting room at the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo features photo portraits of all individual laureates and the logos of all prizewinning institutions and organizations, reflecting a rich history of achievement.
When Are the Awards Announced?
The Nobel Prize announcements are spread out over several days. From October 6th to 10th, and again on October 13th, one prize will be revealed each day between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. Eastern Time. These exciting announcements are primarily made from Oslo and Stockholm and can be watched live via the official Nobel Prize organization’s digital platforms.
The award for physiology or medicine was presented on Monday to Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi for their groundbreaking work on peripheral immune tolerance.
On Tuesday, the physics prize was awarded to John Clarke, Michel Devoret, and John Martinis, honoring their significant advancements in quantum mechanics and electric circuits.
Looking ahead, the chemistry award will be unveiled on Wednesday, followed by the literature prize on Thursday, and the highly anticipated peace prize on Friday. Finally, the award in economic sciences will be announced on October 13th.
What Do the Laureates Receive?
Beyond the immense recognition, Nobel Prize laureates are awarded a prestigious diploma, a coveted gold medal, and a document specifying the prize money. This year, the Nobel Prize amount stands at an impressive 11 million Swedish kronor, which translates to approximately $1.17 million USD at current exchange rates.
Malala Yousafzai, for example, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014, receiving a diploma, medal, and monetary prize for her advocacy for education.
Who Were Last Year’s Recipients?
Last year’s Nobel Prizes recognized several impactful achievements. In physics, John J. Hopfield and Geoffrey E. Hinton were honored for their discoveries that significantly advanced how computers learn, mirroring the human brain’s processes, thereby laying crucial groundwork for advanced artificial intelligence.
The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, a dedicated Japanese organization that has campaigned for over five decades to abolish nuclear weapons globally. Their extensive work includes significant policy advocacy at the United Nations and various international peace conferences, alongside the vital collection and sharing of thousands of testimonies from survivors of the 1945 atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.