55 percent of the winners came from Europe. 41 percent came from North America, including 39 percent from the United States alone. There are 17 winners from Asia, or about 2 percent. Africa has only one winner according to this list, although there are some recipients missing.

Why the disparity between regions? For one thing, it is a Europe-based award, so naturally it will concentrate on Europe. Also, wealthier developed nations have more money to spend on research than developing ones, and are more likely to fund so-called “pure” science. This is usually less popular in developing countries, where engineering is often preferred because of its focus on practical, everyday problems like improving water quality.