Alfred Nobel: The Merchant of Death

This video is sponsored by Brilliant.

Credits:
Host - Simon Whistler
Author - Steve Theunissen
Producer - Jack Cole
Executive Producer - Shell Harris

Other Biographics Videos:

Joseph Stalin: The Red Terror

Winston Churchill Biography: In the Darkest Hour

Source/Further reading:

Alfred Nobel: The Man Behind the Peace Prize by Kathy-Jo Wargen and Zachary Pullen

Alfred Nobel: Inventive Thinker by Tristan Boyer Binns

Alfred Nobel; A Biography by Kenne Fant

[jamessuits]

A rich genius has a change of heart after seeing the destructive toll of his inventions.Throw in a suit of armor and you've got the character arc of Iron Man.

[nicholasc]

The thing I found the most interesting was that his father invented plywood.

[Scottagram]

Is no one going to comment on the fact that he sold matches on the street to compensate for his home being burned down?

[Dasmaster]

There is an irony in the scientist who worked his whole life at making something extremely hazardous safer to use being called the "Merchant of Death".

[camerongreen]

Never would have found out his dad invented Plywood if not for this bio. Love this channel, keep up the good work mate

[heronimousbrapson]

Nobel's invention of dynamite, by making nitro glycerine safer to handle, saved many lives as numerous deaths were atribual to the rough handling of nitro. I fail to see why he would have felt badly about that.

[Aggie]

The first thought in my head when it comes to dynamite is its use in mining and construction. I think it has been far more beneficial through those uses.

[h_curly]

Having a cup of coffee and watching biographics is the crown jewel of my day.

[johngalt]

Typical human nature.

Inventor: "here, I've invented a weapon so terrible nobody will ever use it"!

Rest of the world: "hold my beer"...

[acetate]

There are so many lessons about human nature in this story.

[SunriseFireberry]

They named the chemical element Nobelium in his honour.

[mandymusshafen]

Nitroglycerin is not only used for killing. Besides being common in construction, mining, and demolition, it has been used in medicine to treat certain heart conditions as a vasodilator. It has in fact saved countless lives.

[augustortiz]

He would turn in his grave if he saw some of the people who have received the prize.

[darthsawlex]

This of a great video, I like how it covered Both Nobel and his father. This gave me the idea that occasionally you could do a super long upload where it goes through the lives of several people. Not random people obviously but maybe like. Henry VII, Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I

[uralbob]

Wonderful, wonderful history. I hope that more and more people dicover this gift to us. Thank you sincerely!
I can't get enough of these gems of history.

[momobobo]

No one gonna talk about how the news started rumors he was dead and in the paper they did nothing but insult him and call him the merchant of death and was so distraught that he created the Nobel peace prize so his name would be associated with something good?

[ignitionfrn]

0:45 - Chapter 1 - Early years
2:35 - Chapter 2 - A change of fortune
4:40 - Chapter 3 - The nitro fascination
8:05 - Chapter 4 - Dynamite !
10:15 - Chapter 5 - Fabulous wealth
11:50 - Chapter 6 - The women in his life
13:25 - Chapter 7 - International businessman
16:50 - Chapter 8 - A shocking realization
18:40 - Chapter 9 - Death & a legacy

[rolandfelice]

Quite a complex character. It's fascinating how handicaps in one direction can often lead to advantages in another. Wonderful if you can cope with such disadvantages.

[kekero]

This is turning out to be a good birthday.
Thanks to Simon and the writers.

[MorpHk]

The economics prize is not actually a Nobel prize at all, but a prize given out by the Swedish Central Bank in Alfreds Nobels honor, and I guess you could also say, in the same spirit as the rest of the prizes. It is however awarded at the ceremony and administered by the Nobel Foundation, but the prize money, as well as the administrative costs, are paid by the Central Bank.