Nobel Season Opens With Edward Snowden, Chili Research Spicing up Predictions

File photo of Edward Snowden.

US physiologist David Julius has been touted by Sweden's leading daily Dagens Nyheter to win the medicine prize for discovering that pain receptors have the same reaction to pain, temperature and the spicy component of chili.

"David Julius's discoveries have given us a much deeper understanding of how feeling works and completely new possibilities to produce drugs against chronic pain," Maria Gunther, science editor at the paper wrote.

While the Nobel week begins with three science prizes -- including physics on Tuesday and chemistry on Wednesday, most of the speculation surround the coveted peace prize to be announced Friday.

This year's peace prize has drawn a record 278 nominations, including that for Snowden -- whose name was put forward by two Norwegian lawmakers for his exposure of widespread US electronic surveillance.

Snowden analyst would be a controversial choice as "many continue to see him as a traitor and a criminal", according to Kristian Berg Harpviken, director of the peace research institute Oslo (PRIO), one of few analysts to publish a list of potential winners.

Nonetheless the five members of the Nobel Committee could still give him the award to "underline the independence of the Nobel Committee" from the Norwegian and US authorities, according to Nobeliana.com, a website run by leading Norwegian Nobel historians.

- Too controversial -

Others have rubbished the Snowden speculation.

"Judging from the past, I can't see that coming. It's too controversial -- and Scandinavians are too fond of the (United) States," Robert Haardh, head of Stockholm-based Civil Rights Defenders told AFP.

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Nobel Season Opens With Edward Snowden, Chili Research Spicing up Predictions