<P> The prize is not awarded posthumously; however, if a person is awarded a prize and dies before receiving it, the prize may still be presented . Though the average number of laureates per prize increased substantially during the 20th century, a prize may not be shared among more than three people, although the Nobel Peace Prize can be awarded to organizations of more than three people . </P> <P> Alfred Nobel (listen (help info)) was born on 21 October 1833 in Stockholm, Sweden, into a family of engineers . He was a chemist, engineer, and inventor . In 1894, Nobel purchased the Bofors iron and steel mill, which he made into a major armaments manufacturer . Nobel also invented ballistite . This invention was a precursor to many smokeless military explosives, especially the British smokeless powder cordite . As a consequence of his patent claims, Nobel was eventually involved in a patent infringement lawsuit over cordite . Nobel amassed a fortune during his lifetime, with most of his wealth from his 355 inventions, of which dynamite is the most famous . </P> <P> In 1888, Nobel was astonished to read his own obituary, titled The merchant of death is dead, in a French newspaper . As it was Alfred's brother Ludvig who had died, the obituary was eight years premature . The article disconcerted Nobel and made him apprehensive about how he would be remembered . This inspired him to change his will . On 10 December 1896, Alfred Nobel died in his villa in San Remo, Italy, from a cerebral haemorrhage . He was 63 years old . </P> <P> Nobel wrote several wills during his lifetime . He composed the last over a year before he died, signing it at the Swedish--Norwegian Club in Paris on 27 November 1895 . To widespread astonishment, Nobel's last will specified that his fortune be used to create a series of prizes for those who confer the "greatest benefit on mankind" in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace . Nobel bequeathed 94% of his total assets, 31 million SEK (c . US $186 million, € 150 million in 2008), to establish the five Nobel Prizes . Because of scepticism surrounding the will, it was not until 26 April 1897 that it was approved by the Storting in Norway . The executors of Nobel's will, Ragnar Sohlman and Rudolf Lilljequist, formed the Nobel Foundation to take care of Nobel's fortune and organise the award of prizes . </P>

Who had thought about instituting the noble prize