Alfred Nobel patented dynamite in 1867 after developing a safer explosive than liquid nitroglycerin.
Nobel stabilized nitroglycerin by absorbing it into kieselguhr, a porous siliceous material. The resulting mixture was easier to handle and transport than liquid nitroglycerin while remaining powerful enough for mining, construction, and engineering.
Nobel patented dynamite in Sweden in 1867 and later obtained patents in other countries. The invention made blasting work more practical, although dynamite remained dangerous and required careful handling.
Nobel’s fortune from explosives later funded the Nobel Prizes. He established the prizes through his will, which was published after his death in 1896. Dynamite is often confused with TNT, but they are chemically different explosives.