[2026 Nobel Prize] Francis Halzen Opens New Path in Cosmic Observation with Neutrinos, Wins Physics Prize Solo (Comprehensive)

First Solo Nobel Physics Laureate in 34 Years
Observing Neutrinos Using Antarctic Glacial Ice Opens Door to Understanding Cosmic Phenomena
Nobel Committee: "Paving the Way for a New Branch of Astronomy"

This year's Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Professor Francis Halzen, an 82-year-old Belgian physicist 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 contribution to the construction of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and the discovery of high-energy neutrinos from space."

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

The Royal Academy selected Professor Halzen as the sole laureate. It is the first time in 34 years that the Nobel Committee has named a single recipient for the Nobel Prize in Physics, since Georges Charpak, a French physicist, won the prize in 1992 for inventing the multiwire proportional chamber. Halzen currently serves as the principal investigator at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica and as a distinguished professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

According to scientists, neutrinos are considered "matter that exists everywhere but does not reveal its presence." Because they have almost no mass and no electric charge, neutrinos do not react with other matter, earning them the nickname "ghost particles." As one of the most fundamental particles that constitute the universe, neutrinos are expected to provide clues to answering fundamental scientific questions about the universe. However, their elusive properties have long made them challenging to study.

In 1988, Professor Halzen was the first to propose the idea of capturing neutrinos using sensors embedded in the clear glacial ice of Antarctica. Antarctica's geological stability and the lack of residents beyond scientists stationed there for research purposes minimize external interference. The IceCube Neutrino Observatory, which spans approximately one square kilometer of Antarctic glacier and is equipped with sensors, was completed in 2011. Professor Halzen and the research team utilized this facility to detect high-energy neutrinos.

The Royal Academy noted, "His idea involved using Antarctic glacial ice to capture the mysterious particles known as neutrinos," adding, "As a result, the IceCube Neutrino Observatory was born, allowing the tracking of neutrinos arriving from distant space."

Mark Pearce, Chair of the Nobel Committee for Physics, stated, "Halzen has led an international team of researchers and engineers that has provided us with a fantastic observatory," adding, "His perseverance and scientific vision have paved the way for a new kind of astronomy." The Committee assessed that the observation of ultra-high-energy neutrinos arriving from space has opened a path to identifying previously unknown cosmic phenomena.

Immediately after the announcement, Halzen said in a phone interview at the press conference, "I was very surprised and, naturally, had not expected it at all," adding, "There had been predictions that I might win the Nobel Prize before, but actually hearing the announcement still felt surreal."

The total prize money for this year's Physics Prize is 12 million Swedish krona (approximately 1.61 billion won). The Nobel Prize announcements for 2026 will continue with the Chemistry Prize on October 7, the Literature Prize on October 8, the Peace Prize on October 9, and the Economics Prize on October 12.

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