Nobel Prize Winners of 1939: Full List of Laureates and Their Achievements

Nobel Prize

Nobel Prize Winners 1939: Discover the Laureates of 1939


Chemistry

Adolf Friedrich Johann Butenandt for his work on sex hormones.

Leopold Ruzicka for his work on polymethylenes and higher terpenes.

Physics

Ernest Orlando Lawrence for the invention and development of the cyclotron and for results obtained with it, especially with regard to artificial radioactive elements.

Literature

Frans Eemil Sillanpää for his deep understanding of his country's peasantry and the exquisite art with which he has portrayed their way of life and their relationship with Nature.

Physiology or Medicine

Gerhard Domagk for the discovery of the antibacterial effects of prontosil.

Peace

Economic Sciences

Memorable Moments and Contributions

Peace - The 1939 Nobel Peace Prize was not awarded due to the outbreak of World War II.

Physics - The 1939 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Ernest Lawrence for the invention and development of the cyclotron, a device that accelerates charged particles to high energies. This breakthrough led to the discovery of several new elements and enabled groundbreaking research in nuclear physics.

Chemistry - The 1939 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Adolf Butenandt for his work on sex hormones. Butenandt's research on the chemical structure and synthesis of male and female sex hormones, such as testosterone and estrogen, laid the foundation for the development of modern endocrinology and the use of hormones in medicine.

Literature - The 1939 Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to Frans Eemil Sillanpää, a Finnish author, for his deep understanding of the life and conditions of his country's people. Sillanpää's novels, such as "Meek Heritage" and "The Maid Silja," provided a vivid portrayal of rural Finnish life and the struggles of the common people.

Physiology or Medicine - The 1939 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Gerhard Domagk for his discovery of the antibacterial effects of prontosil, the first commercially available antibiotic. Domagk's work paved the way for the development of sulfa drugs, which were instrumental in the treatment of bacterial infections and saved countless lives during World War II.

FAQ Section

Who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1939?

Frans Eemil Sillanpää won the Nobel Prize in Literature Nobel Prize laureate for his deep understanding of his country's peasantry and the exquisite art with which he has portrayed their way of life and their relationship with Nature.

What scientific breakthroughs were recognized by the Nobel Prizes in 1939?

Ernest Orlando Lawrence won the Nobel Prize in Physics Nobel Prize laureate for the invention and development of the cyclotron and for results obtained with it, especially with regard to artificial radioactive elements. Adolf Friedrich Johann Butenandt and Leopold Ruzicka won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry Nobel Prize laureate for his work on sex hormones.