Francis Halzen awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics

On October 6, 2026, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm announced that the Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to American astrophysicist Francis Halzen. He was recognized for his decisive contribution to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica and the subsequent discovery of high-energy neutrinos of astrophysical origin.

Halzen’s work traces back to a 1988 proposal to utilize the massive South Pole ice sheets as a giant telescope to detect neutrinos, which are nearly massless particles that pass through Earth. The resulting observatory occupies approximately one cubic kilometer of ice, equipped with thousands of light sensors, providing a stable environment to observe particles that travel through space without changing direction. The 2026 Nobel prize includes a monetary award of 12 million Swedish kronor, equivalent to approximately 1.2 million U.S. dollars.

The announcement of the physics prize is part of the annual Nobel schedule. Awards for Chemistry, Literature, and Peace are set to follow later in the week, with the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences to be scheduled next Monday.