1) Alfred Nobel was a Swedish chemist, engineer, and inventor who is most famous for inventing dynamite and establishing the Nobel Prizes. 2) As a young chemist in Paris, Nobel became interested in nitroglycerin and experimented with developing safer ways to use and transport the volatile explosive. This was spurred by the accidental death of his youngest brother from a nitroglycerin explosion. 3) In 1867, Nobel invented dynamite by mixing nitroglycerin with an absorbent material like diatomaceous earth, creating a paste that was much safer and easier to handle than liquid nitroglycerin alone. Dynamite found wide applications in mining, construction, and warfare