Short answers, pulled from the story.
Alfred Nobel invented gelignite in 1875 and ballistite in 1887, in addition to dynamite, which he patented in 1867. He also invented a detonator in 1863 and designed the blasting cap in 1865. Over his lifetime he held 355 patents internationally.
Nobel set aside 94% of his total assets, 31,225,000 Swedish kronor, in his will signed on the 27th of November 1895, to fund prizes recognizing those who had "conferred the greatest benefit to humankind". His decision is often connected to his discomfort with being associated solely with weapons manufacture, though historians debate the precise motivation.
Alfred Nobel was fluent in six languages: Swedish, French, Russian, English, German, and Italian. He also developed enough literary skill in English to write poetry.
Nobel met Sofija Hess in 1876 in Baden bei Wien, where she worked in a flower shop. Their relationship lasted 18 years and produced 221 surviving letters. It ended after Hess became pregnant by another man, though Nobel continued to support her financially.
Alfred Nobel died on the 10th of December 1896 at Villa Nobel in Sanremo, Italy, from a stroke, aged 63. He is buried at Norra begravningsplatsen in Stockholm.
Alfred Nobel chose the name dynamite from the Greek word for "power" (dynamis). He had briefly considered calling it "Nobel's Safety Powder", the term used in his patent, but settled on dynamite when he patented the substance in 1867.