The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Iraqi human rights activist Nadia Murad and Congo gynecologist Denis Mukwege for the struggle against sexual violence in war.

The prize was given for their efforts to put an end to sexual violence as a weapon in war and armed conflict.

In 2014, Nadia became victim to the Yazidi's persecution by Islamists and fell into slavery to Islamic State militants (a terrorist organization banned in Russia), where she was sexually abused. Now the girl is actively defending the rights of the Yazidis, and especially women who have fallen into slavery to terrorists.

Denis Mukwege founded the Panzi Hospital, where he helps rape victims during the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Nobel Prize in MedicinThe Nobel Prize in Medicine was given to immunologists James P. Allison and Tasuku Honjo for new cancer treatments.

Scientists have developed a mechanism for treating cancer with the help of the immune system. Allison studied protein which functions as a brake on the immune system. The researcher suggested turning it off to set up immune cells to attack cancer cells. The concept formed the basis of a new approach to the treatment of tumors. Honjo discovered a similar protein on immune cells and found out that it also inhibits the immune system but with a different mechanism of action. “Therapy based on this study has proven to be amazingly effective in the fight against cancer," said the Nobel Committee.

American economists William Nordhaus and Paul Romer received the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences for studying the effects of climate and for research on technological innovations.

Nordhaus and Romer have provided "fundamental insights into the causes and consequences of technological innovation and climate change." Nordhaus developed economic models and methods for studying the effects of climate change, Romer investigated the impact of technological innovation on the economy. The conducted studies explain how the market economy interacts with nature and knowledge, the Nobel Committee noted.

The Nobel Prize in Physics 2018 was awarded “for groundbreaking inventions in the field of laser physics.” A group of scientists received the award: Arthur Ashkin, Gérard Mourou, and Donna Strickland.

Arthur Ashkin invented optical tweezers, which allows scientists to control microscopic objects using laser light. Frenchman Mourou, together with a native of Canada, Donna Strickland, proposed a new method of generating high-intensity, ultra-short optical pulses. The technique they have invented is used for high-intensity lasers that are used in ophthalmic surgery.

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the directed evolution of enzymes and the study of peptides and antibodies was awarded to three scientists: Frances H. Arnold (USA), George P. Smith (USA) and Sir Gregory P. Winter (UK).

Researchers managed to “take control of evolution” and use its principles (genetic changes and selection) to develop a new type of substance, proteins with new properties that can solve the problems of humanity.

The Nobel Committee noted that the award "was given for the (scientific) revolution, which was accomplished thanks to evolution."