Notes - Alfred Nobel: Inventive Thinker

Childhood and Family

• Born in October 21st, 1833

• His from Stockholm, Sweden

• At first, he was a weak baby who had to struggle to live.

• The household was poor.

o His house was burned down in 1832.

o His two older brothers, Robert and Ludvig had to sell matches on the street to earn money to buy food.

• But he was born in technically minded family, that’s the most important factor that made Nobel a successful scientist.

• Family History

o Olof Rudbeck

• 1630 ~ 1702

• Alfred Nobel’s great-great-great grandfather

• Discovered how a part of a human body called the lymphatic system works.

• Wrote a book – Atlantica

• His father’s bankruptcy made poor environment for Nobel to learn something.

• Despite the Bankruptcy, he learned lots of things quickly.

• Life in St.Petersburg

o In 1842, Nobel sails to St.Petersburg

Alfred Nobel left St.Petersburg for summer of 1850

• Heard about Nitroglycerin in Paris.

His girlfriend died in Paris(Tuberculosis) → Never married again & no children to bequeath his money.

To US – Met John Ericson

• Went to US as Sweden did not provide lots of experiences for engineers.

• Made an engine that works with steam.

• Worked in ships, improving the design of propeller.

Back to St. Petersburg

• Went to father’s business.

• Crimean war begin in 1853. & Nobel family manufactured lots of things.

o Rapid firing rifles

o Sea mines

Bankruptcy again in 1856.

Background knowledge – Crimean war.

• In 1850, Turkey controlled much of middle East.

• Russia was having bad relationship with France.

• Turkey sided for GB and France

• Enraged, Russia attacks Turkey

• Ends up with Treaty of Paris.

Early Nitroglycerin

• There was lots of problems in gunpowder

o Weak and cause lots of smokes

• Invention of guncotton by Prof.C.F.Schonbein in Basle, Switzerland developed the science a lot.

• Prof.Ascanio Sobrero discovered nitroglycerin in Turin, Italy.

o Powerful, but hard to handle.

• Caused lots of accidents

• Nobel’s brother, Emil died.

• By mixing in a stone called Kieseguhr, made this explosive to be safer.

His death

• In 1887, He was almost dying of Tuberculosis

• He hated war, didn’t want dynamites to be used in war.

• For atonement of his invention, he lives a will to make a “Nobel foundation” and places a executor, Ragnar Sohlman.

Binns, Tristan Boyer. Alfred Nobel: Inventive Thinker. Danbury, CT: Franklin Watts, 2004. Print.