Alfred Nobel was a chemist and engineer whose genius transformed the construction and mining industries. He invented dynamite by combining unstable nitroglycerin with an absorbent material called kieselguhr, making it safe to handle and transport. He held 355 patents during his life, including for blasting caps and smokeless powder. Haunted by the destructive potential of his inventions and spurred by a premature obituary that called him the 'merchant of death,' Nobel used his vast fortune to establish the Nobel Prizes. His will stipulated that the awards be given annually to those who have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Peace.