Nobel Prize 2025 Explained: Full Schedule, Key Contenders, And Why The Peace Prize Is Being Watched Closely?

The 2025 Nobel Prize season opens on Monday with the award for physiology or medicine, marking the start of a week of daily announcements that will culminate with the economics prize on 13 October. This year’s series of awards is drawing particular attention to the Nobel Peace Prize, amid heightened global conflict and political controversy.

According to Al Jazeera, the first announcement will take place on 6 October at the Karolinska Institutet in Solna, near Stockholm, where the Nobel Assembly will reveal the laureate for medicine. The schedule continues with physics on 7 October, chemistry on 8 October, literature on 9 October, peace on 10 October in Oslo, and concludes with the economics prize on 13 October.

What is the Nobel Prize?

The Nobel Prizes, established by the 1895 will of Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel, recognise achievements that have “conferred the greatest benefit to humankind.” They are awarded annually in six categories: physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, peace, and economic sciences. Each laureate receives a gold medal, diploma, and a cash award of 11 million Swedish kronor (£810,000), funded by the Nobel Foundation. The formal award ceremonies take place on 10 December, the anniversary of Nobel’s death.

Why the Peace Prize is Closely Watched

This year’s Nobel Peace Prize is being closely watched, Al Jazeera reported, against the backdrop of ongoing wars in Gaza, Ukraine, and civil conflicts and political repression in other countries. Debate surrounding the prize has intensified due to former United States President Donald Trump’s repeated claims that he deserves the award for “ending seven wars.” Speaking at the United Nations and later reiterating his view on 30 September, Trump argued that he had helped end Israel’s two-year conflict in Gaza and therefore merited recognition.

However, experts cited by Al Jazeera said Trump’s chances remain slim. The Norwegian Nobel Committee traditionally honours efforts that promote lasting peace and international cooperation rather than short-term political actions. Nominations reportedly included Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the government of Pakistan, though both were submitted after the deadline for the 2025 award.

Medicine Prize Contenders

Beyond the peace category, speculation for this year’s medicine prize centres on research into hormones regulating appetite. Scientists involved in the discovery of the hormone glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) are seen as frontrunners, Al Jazeera reported. Their work led to the development of anti-obesity and diabetes drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro. Possible laureates include Jens Juul Holst, Joel Habener, Daniel Drucker, and Svetlana Mojsov. Other experts have highlighted Japanese researchers Kenji Kangawa and Masayasu Kojima for their discovery of ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates appetite.

Physics and Other Categories

In physics, British scientist John Pendry’s research into metamaterials and the concept of an “invisibility cloak” — a technique for redirecting electromagnetic fields — has been identified as a potential area of recognition.

The Nobel Prizes are awarded by different institutions: the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (for physics, chemistry, and economics), the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institutet (for medicine), the Swedish Academy (for literature), and the Norwegian Nobel Committee (for peace).

Academic Freedom Concerns

Ylva Engström, vice-president of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, told Reuters that academic freedom faces risks from political interference, citing the policies of the Trump administration as “reckless” and warning of potential long-term effects on democratic institutions. Engström is not part of the committees selecting this year’s laureates.

The Ceremony

Each year, laureates are honoured in formal ceremonies held in Stockholm and Oslo. In Stockholm, the King of Sweden presents the medals and diplomas for the scientific, literary, and economic prizes. In Oslo, the Peace Prize is awarded at the Oslo City Hall by the chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee. The events are broadcast globally and followed by a banquet attended by more than a thousand guests.

Last Year’s Winners

Last year’s winners included Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun in medicine for discovering microRNAs; John J Hopfield and Geoffrey E Hinton in physics for foundational work on artificial intelligence; and David Baker, Demis Hassabis, and John M Jumper in chemistry for breakthroughs in protein structure prediction. Han Kang of South Korea won the literature prize, Nihon Hidankyo received the peace prize for campaigning against nuclear weapons, and economists Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, and James A Robinson were recognised for research on how institutions shape economic growth and inequality.

This year’s Nobel season, Al Jazeera reported, is expected to mirror global tensions — balancing scientific discovery with questions of moral and political leadership at a time of deep international division.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)