*Alfred Nobel,* born on 21 October 1833

*Alfred Nobel,* born on 21 October 1833, was a Swedish businessman, chemist, engineer, inventor, and philanthropist. He held 355 different patents, dynamite being the most famous. The synthetic element nobelium was named after him. He owned *Bofors,* which he had redirected from its previous role as primarily an iron and steel producer to a major manufacturer of cannon and other armaments. He read a premature obituary which condemned him for profiting from the sales of arms, then bequeathed his fortune to institute the _*Nobel Prize.*_ His name also survives in companies such as _Dynamit Nobel_ and _AkzoNobel,_ which are descendants of mergers with companies that _Nobel_ established.