Alfred Nobel was born on 21 October 1833 in Stockholm in a family of talented self-educated inventor Immanuel Nobel, who came from the peasants of the southern Swedish County Noble, which explains the origin of the surname. The head of the family became famous and made a fortune in the Russian service, especially during the Crimean war. Mines manufactured in his plant, defended the raid of Kronstadt and Reval from the attack of the British squadron. For his services to Russia, he received Imperial large gold medal, which, as a rule, doesn't awarded foreigners.

Alfred’s mother – Andriette

Alfred’s father- Immanuel Nobel

Alfred Nobel although he was very talented but did not receive even secondary education. In 1849 the father sends the young Alfred in a two-year journey through Europe and America. A big part of this journey Alfred holds in Paris. There he held a practical course of chemistry and physics in the laboratory of the famous chemist Jules Palma, dealing with oil and opened nitriles. After the departure of his father to Stockholm, Alfred Nobel began to study the properties of nitroglycerin. It is likely that this was facilitated by frequent communication with Nobel outstanding Russian chemist Nikolai Nikolaevich Zinin.

Young A. Nobel

In Paris a young Nobel was adopted at the court of Napoleon III, where was a reader romantic poems and where falls in love with a young dark-eyed brunette from Provence, which soon dies from tuberculosis. Heartbroken, the Nobel went to America, where he met with famous Swedish engineer John Ericsson, who built for Lincoln unusual ship "Monitor". Ericsson conducted experiments on the use of solar energy and attached compatriot to the invention.

For example, British monitor “Severn”

John Ericsson

He continued his experiments in 1863, in Stockholm. But on 3 September 1864 tragedy struck. The during the experiments killed several people, including Alfred's younger brother Emil Oskar, who was only 20 years old. Shortly after the misfortune of his father was struck down by paralysis, and the last eight years he spent bedridden.October 14, 1864, Alfred Nobel took out a patent right for production of explosives containing nitroglycerine. Then he took out the patent on a detonator ("Nobel crush"), dynamite, smokeless gunpowder etc. all in All he owns 350 patents, and not all of them are associated with explosives. Among them, the patents on the hydrometer, barometer, refrigeration apparatus, a gas burner, an improved method of obtaining sulfuric acid, the combat missile design and much more.

DynamiteA — sawdust or other absorptive material, impregnated with nitroglycerine; B — protective coat C — explosive capsule; D - is the cable associated with the Subversion primer; E — mounting tape.

Alfred Nobel was a member of the Swedish Academy of Sciences, the Royal society of London, the Paris society of civil engineers. Uppsala University awarded him an honorary doctorate of philosophy. Among the awards the is a Swedish order of the Polar star, the French Legion of Honor, the Brazilian order of the Rose and the Venezuelan - Bolivar. But all the accolades left him indifferent. It was a gloomy man, who loved solitude, avoiding companies and who was immersed in the work.

He main wealth brought from a production dynamite, a patent for which was received on 7 may 1867. The newspaper of those years wrote that his discovery engineer did by accident. During carriage crashed a bottle of nitroglycerin, which spills over the liquid impregnated the earth, and the result dynamite. Nobel has always denied it. He argued that consciously searched for a substance which, when mixed with nitroglycerin, would have reduced his explosiveness. This catalyst was kieselguhr. This rock is called also Tripoli (from Tripoli in Libya, where it was extracted).

Last years Nobel worked with a personal Secretary and chemist, a young Swede Ragnar Salman. Together with him they received a patent for the new invention of smokeless gunpowder ("ballistic"). Assistant gained confidence so much so that Alfred called him not only as "chief executor of my desires".

10 December 1896 Alfred Nobel died of a cerebral hemorrhage at his Villa in San Remo, Italy.

Alfred’s villa in San Remo

Alfred’s grave in San Remo

Alfred’s will

Alfred's Nobel will was drawn up in November 27 1895,but was read in January 1897

Reconstruction Alfred's Nobel laboratory. The scientist sits in the right corner.

During his life, Nobel patented 355 inventions in different countries. Nobel's factories was located in about 20 countries, and the different explosives was made according to his patents for 100 factories around the world.

Nobel lived and worked in many countries, including Sweden, Russia, France, Britain, Germany and Italy. He was passionately fond of literature, wrote poems and plays. In his youth he seriously hesitated, deciding to become an inventor or a poet, shortly before his death wrote a tragedy, "Nemesis".