Nobel disease, or Nobelitis, is an informal term describing the tendency of some Nobel Prize winners to embrace scientifically unsound ideas, often later in life. This phenomenon suggests that being an authority in one field does not guarantee expertise in others. Some scholars argue that the prestige of the award empowers laureates to speak on topics outside their specific expertise with unearned confidence, bolstered by media attention and personal confirmation bias.

Notable examples include Linus Pauling, who promoted megadoses of vitamin C for treating schizophrenia, and James Watson, who has made controversial claims regarding intelligence and race. Other laureates, such as Brian Josephson, have promoted unsupported ideas like homeopathy or telepathy.

While it remains unclear if Nobel winners are statistically more prone to errors than other scientists, the phenomenon serves as a reminder that high intelligence and scientific brilliance are not incompatible with irrationality. As Milton Friedman noted, the flattering attention of the prize can be as corrupting as it is rewarding.