Why did it take this long (and a random series of lectures in Engineering Ethics) for me to discover that without dynamite, there would not have been a Nobel Peace Prize? There probably would have been a "Someone else Peace Prize" eventually, but not a Nobel one.
Son of a man who made naval mines from gunpowder and dabbled in arms manufacture (of the ordinance, not limb, variety), Alfred Nobel developed commercial production of nitrogylcerine, subsequently involved a brother (and several others in the wrong place at the right time) in a fatal explosion, improved the formulation and created dynamite. A pretty auspicious start for a man who would die bitter and wealthy but be inspired to leave all his money to establish the various Nobel prizes, including that for peace.
I love the fact that the Swedes select each of the winners except the Peace Prize - which has been outsourced to those neutral Norwegians since its inception in 1901.
It's probably not the most sustainable way to encourage philanthropy but it's an interesting thing to know...
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