The Nobel Prize is perhaps the best known prize in the world. It is given out each year to people in a variety of important fields including physics, chemistry, medicine, and of course, peace. One key area that does not get a Nobel Prize is that of mathematics, which has led many people to wonder why.

There is an urban legend that says that Alfred Nobel specifically left mathematics out because Sofie Hess, an Austrian love interest of Nobel, had an affair with a mathematician, Gosta Mittag-Leffler. This, according to the legend, prompted him to snub the entire area of mathematics.

There is, however, no truth to that story.

Instead, it comes down to the fact that mathematics simply wasn’t something included in Nobel’s instructions when he set up the award and how it would be continued after his death. His well made it clear that his awards were to be given to those who have “conferred the greatest benefit to humankind.”

It then went on to outline how each one should be awarded:

“The prizes for physics and chemistry are to be awarded by the Swedish Academy of Sciences; that for physiological or medical achievements by the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm; that for literature by the Academy in Stockholm; and that for champions of peace by a committee of five persons to be selected by the Norwegian Storting.”

Most people believe that the reason mathematics was not included in this list is because he was more interested in practical or tangible improvements to humanity. Mathematics, while obviously critical to all the sciences, is more abstract and theoretical.

Major advancements in mathematics are used for improvements in physics, chemistry, medicine, and virtually all other sciences. They are not, however, a direct and immediate improvement to the everyday lives of people.

While I’m sure many mathematicians would love to get a Nobel prize, they do have plenty of other prestigious opportunities including the Fields Medal, the Abel Prize, and more.

If you thought that was interesting, you might like to read about a quantum computer simulation that has “reversed time” and physics may never be the same.