Who picks the Nobel Prize winners?

Committees members are responsible for the selection of the candidates

Just a few dozen people are involved in deciding who wins Nobel Prizes. AP

Each year thousands of people and organisations are nominated for the Nobel Prizes created by Alfred Bernhard Nobel yet only a handful will ever taste success

The whittling down from contender to superstar is carried out by just a few dozen people, concentrating on making sure each winner each year is the best pick.

After receiving all the nominations, Nobel committees are responsible for the selection of the candidates.

The peace prize winner is decided by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, made up of six people and chaired by Berit Reiss-Andersen.

The others are vice chair Asle Toje, secretary Olav Njolstad, Anne Enger, Kristin Clemet and Jorgen Watne Frydnes

In medicine, it is the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet responsible for the selection

The assembly has 50 members and a working body that reviews the nominations and selects the candidates.

In physics, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences chooses the winners.

The committee is made of five members with there are also adjunct members with votes.

The committee’s proposal is also examined by the physics class of the academy, and members may suggest changes.

For chemistry, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences decides the winner from candidates recommended by the Nobel committee for chemistry.

The Nobel committee again has five members and adjunct members with full voting rights.

In economics, the academy again pays the deciding role.

Candidates are recommended by the economic sciences prize committee, which screens the nominations and selects the final candidates.

In literature, the Swedish Academy, made up of 18 members with life tenure, decides the winners.