NITROGLYCERINE, DYNAMITE AND THE ORIGIN OF THE NOBEL PRIZE

In the mid-1840s, Italian chemist Ascanio Sobrero discovered nitroglycerin, a substance made by adding glycerol to a mixture of nitric and sulphuric acid. The oily-looking substance was highly explosive.
The explosive power of nitroglycerin had great potential for use, but it was a liquid highly sensitive to any handling, detonating with extreme ease in its production, transport or handling.

Faced with this difficulty, Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel came up with the idea of adding other compounds to pure nitroglycerin. Nobel found that by incorporating nitroglycerin into diatomites (porous rocks formed from silicon shells of diatomacea algae), it became safe and manageable. The scientist patented his discovery in 1867, calling it dynamite.

Nobel enriched himself with the discovery that, while useful for imploding quarries and being used in engineering works, it had war applications. It brought the Nobel a bad name! In 1888, his brother's death caused a French newspaper to publish an obituary of his deceased. It was called "Le marchand de la mort est mort" (The merchant of death is dead). Upon coming across the obituary, Nobel took the decision, in his will, to donate his wealth to award people who provided great benefits to humanity. Thus, the interest generated from his wealth would be used to annually award discoveries or inventions in the field of physics, chemistry and physiology or medicine, in addition to the most notable work in literature and the principal achievement in favor of peace. Thus appeared the Nobel Prize! [anon]