The Körber European Science Prize is awarded annually to European scientists whose research lead to extraordinary developments in the fields of life and physical sciences. The prize of 750,000 EUR is referred to by experts as the “small Nobel Prize”: several winners of the Körber Prize later went on to win the Nobel Prize. The Hamburg-based Körber Foundation has been awarding the prize since 1985. Every year, around 600 guests from politics, science and industries attend the ceremonies at Hamburg City Hall.
In September 2018, Svante Pääbo receives the Körber European Science Prize, worth 750,000 euros. Pääbo is honoured for his pioneering achievements in the field of palaeogenetics. One of his most significant scientific breakthroughs is the decoding of the Neanderthal genome.