2011's Nobel Prize of Medicine was awarded to Bruce Beutler (USA), Ralph Steinman (Canada), and Jules Hoffmann (France), for their work on the human immune system. However, the award to Steinman turned out to be more than a routine affair.
In awarding the prize, the Nobel committee had to break one of their most important rules. The reason they went ahead nevertheless was because this breach of rules was inadvertent.
Which rule?
[+ Show Answer]
The rule that the Prize cannot be awarded posthumously. Steinman died only days before the announcement, and the committee only discovered this fact when they were trying to contact Steinman to inform him about his award.
More here.