Nobel Prize Winners: Unexpected Calls and Early Morning Surprises

Mon Oct 20 2025 19:42:42 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

This year's Nobel Prize winners had unique and unexpected ways of learning about their prestigious recognition, from surprise knocks on the door to late-night phone calls.

The recent Nobel Prize announcements brought joy and disbelief to winners around the world. Some received the life-changing news via surprise knocks at their doors or phone calls. A scientist, Mary E. Brunkow, learned she won while waking up to a photographer at her home, while others like Fred Ramsdell found out during a trip without internet access. The excitement of the awards shines through their varied experiences, including one winner mistaking the call for a telemarketer. The anticipation for the Nobel Awards continues, with more announcements on the horizon.

BERLIN — As the Nobel Prizes were announced this year, winners experienced a mix of surprise and excitement. Some recipients discovered their achievements through a knock on the door before dawn, while others received long-awaited phone calls honoring decades of research.

Mary E. Brunkow, one of the winners of the medicine prize, was found sleeping soundly at her home in Seattle when an Associated Press photographer knocked on her door. With the help of her dog, she learned about her award, leading to an emotional moment as her husband shared the life-changing news.

On the other side of the globe, physicist Fred Ramsdell was hiking in Yellowstone National Park and completely off the grid. His wife received dozens of notifications before revealing to him that he had just won the Nobel Prize, an announcement he initially dismissed.

Moreover, the chemistry prize announced that day marked a milestone as it was the first time this year that the Nobel committee managed to reach all three winners prior to the formal announcement.

While some winners had the joy of knowing upfront, others were met with skepticism when they received calls from the Nobel Committee. For instance, chemistry winner Susumu Kitagawa thought a call from Sweden was another telemarketer. The excitement of the Nobel Prize is far from over, with more awards yet to be announced.