Alfred Nobel

The story of Alfred Nobel is one of invention, contemplation and change which is rather inspirational. Aged 12, Nobel’s born years placed him in the era of the industrial revolution; he began his engineering and invention processes by following after his father.

Dynamite is another invention of Nobel that popularized the usage of explosives in such a manner that they could be managed easily. It is a warfare that was highly advantageous to construction and mining. But the numerous military applications of dynamite and the deaths it caused affected Nobel in some ways.

The premature obituaries which nobody could write a better one than labeling Nobel as a ‘merchant of death’ went deep down his soul. This made him ask for time to begin an introspection process which led to his decision to start the Nobel Prizes to redesign his future and concentrate on encouraging the spreading of knowledge as well as the chase for peace.

Organised by him in his will in 1895, the Nobel Prizes are perhaps, Nobel’s bequest to mankind. They pay tribute to those who have bestowed the most utility to mankind in the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, and peace; they are now equated with superiority and called the premier award of their discipline.

Several examples from Alfred Nobel’s life for example, his transformation from an exploiter of death through his invention of a powerful explosive to a savior through his creation of the noble prize show that Nobel had dual nature and was very much determined to make the world a better place. He left behind a legacy through the Nobel Prizes that also serves to encourage and reward the very best in human beings, thus showing that the decisions one makes in one’s life will determine the kind of legacy one will leave behind.