ANNUAL REVIEW THE NOBEL FOUNDATION • 2019 ANNUAL REVIEW 2019 · THE NOBEL FOUNDATION 1 Cover photo: Previous Nobel Prizes appeared on billboards in Stockholm with the message “Celebrate and understand this year’s Nobel Prizes” during the Nobel Calling Stockholm events in October 2019. On this billboard, right outside Arlanda Airport, the twice Nobel Peace Prize awarded UNHCR is displayed. PHOTO: ALEXANDER MAHMOUD 2 ANNUAL REVIEW 2019 · THE NOBEL FOUNDATION uring the spring of 2020 we Korea, Brazil and Hong Kong. We have are in the midst of a terrible been forced to postpone all of them, crisis. At this writing, it is and instead we are now using our social still impossible to say what media channels to connect with our the consequen c es of the audience around the world. In light Dspreading corona virus might be for our of the current crisis, it is particularly societies and our economies. A pandemic encouraging that we have been able this knows no borders. It strikes us both as year to restart the Nobel Center project. individuals and as a species. The Slussen site in downtown Stockholm The importance of independent is the location chosen for the public research and science is clear. Scientists cultural and science centre we intend were able to quickly map the genetic to build. sequence of the new coronavirus and Lars Heikensten has been Executive have begun working to develop a vaccine. t has truly been a privilege for me to Director of the Nobel Foundation Scientifc analyses and calculations are be able to work with the Nobel Prize since 2011. now being done to try to understand for now almost nine years. I have PHOTO: DAN LEPP I and manage its efects on our society. looked forward to every day at work. We must put our faith in science if we There have certainly been challenges, are to make wise decisions. But this crisis but challenge is something this organisa- shows that knowledge is not going to be tion must be prepared for, and which we enough. We also need humanistic values, can expect in the future as well. It is sim- openness, tolerance and collaboration ply a consequence of the prominence of across national borders. the Nobel Prize in the world. At the end When I assumed the role of Executive of this year, someone else will be taking Director for the Nobel Foundation, I was over this position. That person will be struck by how many people were unaware working together with the institutions of Alfred Nobel’s comprehensive vision that award the Nobel Prize to preserve of working for the greatest beneft to and strengthen its unique status. The job humankind. The focus was on the various also includes maintaining the organisa- disciplines of the individual prizes. But tion’s sound fnancial condition and Nobel wanted to do more than just award further developing a platform of broad prizes. He wanted to create a better world. public engagement built on Alfred For almost 120 years, the Nobel Prize has Nobel’s vision. demonstrated humanity’s ability to fnd A great many people have made solutions to our greatest challenges. invaluable contributions to that work This year we were meant to have during the past few years. Its success gathered some twenty Nobel Laureates in the future depends on your continued together with leading decision-makers support. The Nobel Prize stands for and experts in Washington to address belief in science, education and human- the climate crisis in the frst-ever Nobel istic values, commitment to peace Prize Summit. We were to have created and faith in the future. This is needed similar dialogues on other themes in – perhaps now more than ever. ANNUAL REVIEW 2019 · THE NOBEL FOUNDATION 3 4 ANNUAL REVIEW 2019 · THE NOBEL FOUNDATION Table of contents 6 The 2019 Nobel Laureates 12 She wants to change the world 14 Celebrate and understand the year’s Nobel Prizes 16 Scientists convey knowledge with the aid of theatre 18 A new house for culture and science at Slussen 20 Focus on climate at the Nobel Peace Center 22 The year in numbers 26 For the Greatest Benefit to Humankind 30 Science meets society 32 Italian floral splendour 34 Alfred Nobel 36 The prize-awarding institutions 38 The Nobel Foundation 40 To engage, inspire and spread knowledge 42 Highlights in December 44 Nobel Calling Space PHOTO: ALEXANDER MAHMOUD PHOTO: ANNUAL REVIEW 2019 · THE NOBEL FOUNDATION 5 The 2019 Nobel Laureates In October each year new THE NOBEL PRIZE Nobel Laureates are announced. IN PHYSICS 2019 They have all contributed to the greatest benefit of humankind JAMES PEEBLES MICHEL MAYOR with their work. The Nobel Prize DIDIER QUELOZ award ceremonies then take “for contributions to our place in Stockholm and Oslo understanding of the evolution on 10 December. of the universe and Earth’s place in the cosmos” James Peebles Fundamental questions about the uni- verse’s structure and history have always fascinated human beings. James Peebles’ theoretical framework, developed since the mid-1960s, is the basis of our con- temporary ideas about the universe. Using his theoretical tools and cal cu- lations, James Peebles was able to inter- pret the cosmic background radiation, remaining traces from the infancy of the universe. The results showed us a Michel Mayor universe in which just fve per cent of its content is known matter. The remaining 95 per cent is unknown dark matter and dark energy. In 1995, Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz announced the frst discovery of a planet outside our solar system, an exoplanet, orbiting a solar-type star in our home galaxy, the Milky Way. Using custom-made instruments, they were able to see planet 51 Pegasi b, in the Didier Queloz Pegasus constellation. Since then over 4,000 exoplanets have since been found in the Milky Way. Eventually, we may fnd an answer to the eternal question of whether other life is out there. 6 ANNUAL REVIEW 2019 · THE NOBEL FOUNDATION THE NOBEL PRIZE THE NOBEL PRIZE IN PHYSIOLOGY IN CHEMISTRY 2019 OR MEDICINE 2019 JOHN B. GOODENOUGH WILLIAM G. KAELIN JR. ALEXANDER MAHMOUD ALL PHOTOS: M. STANLEY WHITTINGHAM SIR PETER J. RATCLIFFE AKIRA YOSHINO GREGG L. SEMENZA “for the development “for their discoveries of lithium-ion batteries” of how cells sense and adapt to oxygen availability” Storing electrical energy in batteries is a key factor in solving the world’s energy John B. Goodenough supply. The element lithium is useful William G. Kaelin Jr. Animals need oxygen for the conversion in batteries since it willingly releases of food into useful energy. The funda- electrons. Stanley Whittingham, John B. mental importance of oxygen has been Goodenough and Akira Yoshino have understood for centuries, but how cells conducted pioneering work in the adapt to changes in levels of oxygen has development of the lithium-ion battery. long been unknown. Whittingham developed an innovative William G. Kaelin, Sir Peter J. Ratclife, cathode in a lithium battery. This was and Gregg L. Semenza discovered how made from titanium disulphide which, at cells can sense and adapt to changing a molecular level, has spaces that can oxygen availability. They identifed house lithium-ions. In 1980 Goodenough molecular machinery that regulates the developed a lithium battery with a cath- activity of genes in response to varying M. Stanley Whittingham ode of cobalt oxide, which gave a higher Sir Peter J. Ratcliffe levels of oxygen. The seminal discoveries voltage than earlier batteries. In 1985 by Kaelin, Ratclife and Semenza revealed Yoshino developed a battery with an the mechanism for one of life’s most anode of petroleum coke, a carbon mate- essential adaptive processes. rial that, like the cathode’s cobalt oxide, They established the basis for our has spaces that can house lithium-ions. understanding of how oxygen levels This was the frst commercially viable afect cellular metabolism and physio- lithium-ion battery. Such batteries are logical function. Their discoveries have widely used in electrical equipment, also paved the way for promising new for example mobile phones and electric strategies to fght anaemia, cancer and cars. many other diseases. Akira Yoshino Gregg L. Semenza ANNUAL REVIEW 2019 · THE NOBEL FOUNDATION 7 THE NOBEL PRIZE THE NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE 2018 IN LITERATURE 2019 OLGA TOKARCZUK PETER HANDKE “for a narrative imagination “for an infuential work that that with encyclopedic with linguistic ingenuity passion represents the has explored the periphery crossing of boundaries as and the specifcity of human a form of life” experience” Olga Tokarczuk Olga Tokarczuk is inspired by maps and Peter Handke a perspective from above, which tends Peter Handke is one of the most infuen- to make her microcosmos a mirror of tial writers in Europe after the Second the macrocosmos. She constructs her World War. His bibliography contains novels in a tension between cultural novels, essays, note books, dramatic opposites: nature versus culture, reason works and screenplays. As early as versus madness, male versus female, the 1960s Handke left his mark on the home versus alienation. Her magnum literary scene. His works are flled with opus so far is the historical novel a strong desire to discover and to bring The Books of Jacob, portraying the his discoveries to life by fnding new charismatic 18th-century sect leader literary expressions for them. One of Jacob Frank. The work also gives us his books is A Sorrow Beyond Dreams, a remarkably rich panorama of an almost written after his mother’s suicide. neglected chapter in European history. 8 ANNUAL REVIEW 2019 · THE NOBEL FOUNDATION THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE 2019 THE SVERIGES RIKSBANK PRIZE IN ECONOMIC SCIENCES IN MEMORY OF ALFRED NOBEL 2019 ABIY AHMED ALI “for his eforts to achieve peace ALEXANDER MAHMOUD ALL PHOTOS: ABHIJIT BANERJEE and international cooperation, ESTHER DUFLO and in particular for his MICHAEL KREMER “for their experimental decisive initiative to resolve approach to alleviating the border confict with global poverty” Abiy Ahmed Ali neighbouring Eritrea” The relationship between the neigh- Abhijit Banerjee One of humanity’s most urgent issues bouring countries Ethiopia and Eritrea is the reduction of global poverty, in all has long been tense.