- Francis Halzen awarded 2026 Nobel Physics Prize.
- Recognized for IceCube Neutrino Observatory contributions.
- Discovered high-energy neutrinos of astrophysical origin.
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics to Belgian-American particle physicist Francis Halzen for his decisive contributions to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and the discovery of high-energy neutrinos of astrophysical origin. According to the organisation, Halzen has laid the foundation for an entirely new type of astronomy. His idea was to use glacial ice at the South Pole to capture the secretive particles called neutrinos. The result was the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, which can track neutrinos that originate in the distant cosmos.
BREAKING NEWS The 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 Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 6, 2026
"During the experiment, the celebrated scientist realised that ice at the South Pole could be used to track particles known as neutrinos. His vision and scientific leadership have been fundamental to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory – a cubic kilometre of ice that is equipped with light sensors. Using IceCube, researchers can capture neutrinos from extremely energy-rich processes in the distant universe," read the statement released by the Nobel Prize.
Scientists have long known that the cosmos contains natural particle accelerators, which fire out particles with energies up a million times more than can be achieved in laboratories on Earth. Much about these sources is mysterious: what are they, where are they, and what are the main processes inside them? Neutrinos with extremely high energies are created in the same environments as other types of particles. However, unlike other particles, neutrinos reach us without changing direction or losing energy. This means they can provide information that is not available in any other way. Newly awarded physics laureate Francis Halzen first presented his vision for capturing neutrinos at the South Pole in 1988. When a neutrino collides with an atomic nucleus, it produces a flash of light that can be tracked by sensors in the clear glacial ice. The South Pole’s ice has many advantages, as it is free from various types of interference and the area is geologically stable, with no earthquakes. Halzen and his idea soon gained the support of other researchers and, just a few years later, preliminary testing was conducted on sensors in ice. #NobelPrize
— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 6, 2026
How much money will he get?
The winners of the Nobel Physics Prize are selected by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and receive a prize sum totalling 12 million Swedish crowns (USD 1.2 million), which is shared among the winners if there are several.
Why are Nobel Prizes awarded every year?
The Nobel Prizes were established under the will of Swedish inventor and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel, whose fortune was built in part on the invention of dynamite. First awarded in 1901, the prizes honour achievements in science, literature and peace, with the economics award added later by Sweden's central bank.
Physics occupied a prominent place in Nobel's will and the prize remains one of the discipline's highest distinctions. Over the decades, it has recognised discoveries that have fundamentally reshaped humanity's understanding of the universe. Among past laureates are some of the most celebrated figures in science, including Albert Einstein, Marie and Pierre Curie, Max Planck and Niels Bohr, whose work helped establish the foundations of modern physics.
Nobel medals are presented to the winners by Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf at a ceremony in Stockholm on December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel's death. The awards are followed by an elaborate banquet at Stockholm City Hall. The peace prize, the only Nobel not presented in Sweden, is awarded separately in Oslo.
(With inputs from Reuters)