> wtf do these people think they are appointing themselves fit to hand out trinkets and baubles on behalf of global scientific achievement?

https://www.kva.se/en/prizes/nobel-prizes/the-nomination-and...

https://www.kva.se/en/about-us/members/list-of-academy-membe...

> who are they to award such a prize on behalf of physics?

They're not awarding anything in the name of physics, they're awarding a prize in the name of the Nobel committee.