Alfred Nobel (born October 21, 1833, Stockholm, Sweden—died December 10, 1896, San Remo, Italy) was a Swedish chemist, engineer, and industrialist who invented dynamite and other more powerful explosives and who also founded the None, Prize.

Alfred Nobel was known to be generous in humanitarian and scientific philanthropies. In his will, he left the bulk of his fortune in trust to establish what came to be the most highly regarded of international awards, the Nobel Prize.

— RANDOM FACTS —-

Patents: He held 355 patents by the time of his death, covering a wide range of inventions and improvements.

Languages: Nobel was fluent in multiple languages, including Swedish, French, Russian, English, and German.

Early Interest in Literature: Nobel was an avid reader and writer of literature, particularly poetry and drama.

Family Tragedy: His younger brother Emil was killed in a nitroglycerin explosion at one of Nobel’s factories.

Wealth from Oil: Part of his fortune came from the Nobel Brothers Oil Company, which his family established in Azerbaijan.

Unusual Will: Nobel’s will, which established the Nobel Prizes, was handwritten and contained many amendments.

Peace Prize Inspiration: He was inspired to create the Nobel Peace Prize partly due to his friendship with pacifist Bertha von Suttner.

Paris Residence: He spent much of his life in Paris, where he conducted many of his experiments.

Literary Aspirations: Nobel wrote several plays and poems, though they were not widely published during his lifetime.

Cosmopolitan Life: He lived in multiple countries, including Sweden, Russia, France, and Italy.

Philanthropy: Nobel donated significant sums to scientific and cultural institutions during his lifetime.

Dislike for Publicity: He was a very private person and disliked public attention.

Health Issues: He suffered from various health problems, including heart trouble, during the later years of his life.

Bofors: Nobel bought the Bofors ironworks, which he transformed into a major armaments manufacturer.

Eccentric Habits: He had some eccentric habits, such as eating dinner alone in a room lined with mirrors.

Legacy Misunderstood: An erroneous obituary titled “The Merchant of Death is Dead” was published while he was alive, leading him to rethink his legacy.

Love for Technology: Nobel had a lifelong passion for technology and innovation.

SOURCE: Britanica; Fun Facts .org