We already brought you part one of our list of 15 things you probably didn’t know about Alfred Nobel, and now we’re back with part two! Check out eight more fascinating tidbits about the creator of the Nobel Prize that you definitely (probably) did not know below. You might be surprised by what you find out!
Number Eight: He Was the Merchant of Death. We already told you he created dynamite, but did you know that it was his creation of dynamite that eventually inspired him to create the Nobel Prize? A French newspaper mistakenly printed that he had died, and the newspaper read “The merchant of death has died,” referencing his creation of dynamite. He was so upset that he created the Nobel Prize as a way to counteract what he had created.
Number Seven: He Never Married. Though the man was clearly accomplished, he never actually got married. However, his siblings did end up marrying and having kids, so in many ways, his legacy continues to live on.
Number Six: He Had More Than 350 Patents. Throughout his life, Nobel patented more than 350 things internationally. His very first patent was filed in 1857 for a gas meter. He also invented a detonator, Gelignite, a blasting cap and a ballistite, which was the precursor of smokeless powder explosives.
Number Five: He Almost Didn’t Include the Peace Prize. One of Nobel’s former lovers, Bertha Kinsky, was the one who convinced him that the Peace Prize should be included in the list of prizes. Interestingly, Kinsky went on to become the very first recipient of the Peace Prize. She won the prize in 1905.
Number Four: He Didn’t Establish the Prize While He Was Alive. Nobel penned his plans for the Nobel Prize in his will, so it technically was not established until after he had died.
Number Three: One of His Brothers Died in an Explosion. It is well-documented that Nobel spent a lot of his life studying explosives, but what you may not know is that Nobel’s brother actually died from an explosion caused by nitroglycerin.
Number Two: His Middle Name Was Bernhard. Many people know that Nobel’s first name was Alfred, but his middle name was Bernhard. His full name was Alfred Bernhard Nobel.
Number One: His Prize Has Existed for Nearly 115 Years. The Nobel Prize has been given out since 1901. That’s almost 115 years! Hopefully, it will still be around in another 115 years.