Francis Halzen Wins This Year's Nobel Prize in Physics for 'Neutrino Observation'

First Solo Nobel Physics Laureate in 34 Years
Unlocking Cosmic Mysteries Through Neutrino Observation

This year, the Nobel Prize in Physics went to Belgian physicist Francis Halzen, 82, who made significant contributions to neutrino observation.

The Nobel Committee of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced on October 6 (local time), "We have decided to award the Nobel Prize in Physics to Francis Halzen for his decisive contributions to building the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and for the discovery of high-energy neutrinos originating from the cosmos."

Francis Halzen, a Belgian physicist selected as the Nobel Prize in Physics laureate for 2026. Nobel Committee

The Royal Swedish Academy selected Professor Halzen as the sole laureate. This is the first time in 34 years that the Nobel Committee has chosen only one recipient for the Nobel Prize in Physics, following French physicist Georges Charpak in 1992, who was honored for inventing the multiwire proportional chamber.

The Academy stated regarding Halzen, "His idea was to capture the elusive particles called neutrinos by using Antarctic glacier ice," and added, "As a result, the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, which allows us to track neutrinos originating from the far reaches of the universe, was established."

Halzen currently serves as the research director of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica. In operation since 2010, this facility is the largest neutrino detection device in the world. He is also a distinguished professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the United States.

Mark Pearce, a member of the Nobel Physics Committee, explained, "Halzen has led an international team of researchers and engineers who provided us with a fantastic observation instrument," adding, "His perseverance and scientific vision have paved the way for a new kind of astronomy." According to the committee, the observation of ultra-high-energy neutrinos arriving from space has opened the door to exploring previously unknown cosmic phenomena.

The total prize money for this year's Nobel Prize in Physics is 12 million Swedish kronor (1.61 billion won). The announcement of the 2026 Nobel laureates will continue with Chemistry on the 7th, Literature on the 8th, Peace on the 9th, and Economics on the 12th.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.