Prestigious science awards that few people know about

Since they were first awarded in 1901, the Nobel Prizes have retained the three scientific categories established in Alfred Nobel's will: Physiology or Medicine, Physics and Chemistry. Despite the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of science, these categories have not been expanded and will remain so during the week of the awards.

Instead, many other prestigious awards have been created to honor outstanding works in scientific fields not covered by the Nobel Prize. Below are some outstanding awards that scientists and mathematicians around the world always aim for.

Many have argued for expanding the Nobel Prize portfolio, but there are still plenty of other prizes for scientists and mathematicians to compete for. (Source: NYTimes)

Abel Prize: Honoring Pioneering Mathematicians

Established in 2002, the Abel Prize awards approximately $750,000 each year to mathematicians who have made groundbreaking contributions. This year, Professor Masaki Kashiwara (Kyoto University, Japan) was honored for his work combining algebra, geometry and differential equations – opening up new directions in abstract mathematics.

Lasker Prize: The “Nobel Prize” in Medicine

The Lasker Prize, awarded since 1945 and worth $250,000, honors fundamental medical discoveries and their clinical applications. Many Lasker Prize winners have gone on to receive Nobel Prizes. This year, scientists were honored for their work on cell structure and the treatment of cystic fibrosis.

Turing Award: The Pinnacle of Computer Science

The Turing Prize – a $1 million prize sponsored by Google – is considered the “Nobel Prize of computing”. This year, Andrew Barto and Richard Sutton were awarded the prize for their work on reinforcement learning, a key foundation of modern artificial intelligence.

Kavli Prize: Honoring breakthroughs in space, nanoscience and neuroscience

The Kavli Prizes are awarded every two years and are worth $1 million each. In 2024, teams were honored for discoveries about exoplanets, biological nanomaterials, and the brain's mechanism of facial recognition.

Tyler Prize: “Environmental Nobel” for those who protect nature

The Tyler Prize, worth $250,000, honors individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to environmental protection. In 2025, two South American scientists – Sandra Díaz and Eduardo Brondízio – were awarded the prize for connecting biodiversity to human life.

Winner of the 2024 Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement Johan Rockström. (Source: Jadranko Marjanovic)

Vetlesen Prize: Honoring Geologists

Awarded about every three years, the $250,000 Vetlesen Prize goes to Earth scientists. In 2023, David Kohlstedt was honored for simulating conditions in the Earth's mantle – helping to understand how the planet works.

Wolf Prize: Intersection of Science and Art

Israel's Wolf Prize awards $100,000 for achievements in physics, medicine, mathematics, chemistry, agriculture and the arts. This year, scientists were honored for research on disease resistance in plants and human antibodies.

Kyoto Prize: Honoring advanced philosophy and technology

The Kyoto Prize, worth $670,000, is awarded in three areas: Advanced Technology, Basic Sciences, and Philosophy and Arts. In 2025, Shun-ichi Amari was honored for laying the theoretical foundations for AI; Azim Surani was awarded for his research on parental genetics in embryonic development.

Millennium and Draper Prizes: Innovation for Quality of Life

Two prestigious technology awards – the Millennium and Draper – honor innovations that improve quality of life.

In 2024, Bantval Jayant Baliga received the Millennium Prize (1 million euros) for his invention of a semiconductor device widely used in industry. In the same year, Stuart Parkin was awarded the Draper Prize (500,000 USD) for his spintronic technology, the foundation for cloud data storage. Both works contribute to promoting technical progress and serving modern life.

Minh Hoan

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/nhung-giai-thuong-khoa-hoc-danh-gia-it-nguoi-biet-ar969725.html