The 2026 Nobel prize in Physics was awarded to Francis Halzen for “for decisive contributions to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and the discovery of high-energy neutrinos of astrophysical origin.”
Born in Belgium, the 82-year-old scientist is affiliated with the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the US.
The academy stated that the work of Halzen has laid the foundation for an entirely new type of astronomy.
BREAKING NEWSThe Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the 2026 #NobelPrize in Physics to Francis Halzen “for decisive contributions to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and the discovery of high-energy neutrinos of astrophysical origin.” https://t.co/UcPBWk0RiK
The IceCube Neutrino Observatory is a research facility located at the South Pole in Antarctica, according to its website, and the University of Wisconsin–Madison is its lead institution.
Neutrinos are tiny cosmic particles with a mind-bogglingly small mass. Yet they are everywhere: they spew from stars like the sun and trillions zip through our bodies every second.
Scientists can't glimpse the mysterious ghost particles zooming around on their own. Instead, they measure what happens when the tiny particles collide with other bits of matter, producing flashes of light or charged particles.
Halzen studied a rare gang of neutrinos that scientists consider messengers from the cosmos, offering clues to how the universe evolved.
His research into capturing neutrinos at the South Pole dates back to the 1980s.
The Nobel Prize in Physics is awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm in Sweden.
Tuesday's prize is followed by chemistry on Wednesday and literature on Thursday.
After Friday's peace prize is awarded, the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences will be announced on October 12.
The prize money this year is 12 million Swedish kronor (about $1.2 million).
(With inputs from AP via PTI & NobelPrize.org)