Francis Halzen wins 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics

Belgian-American particle physicist Francis Halzen won the 2026 Nobel Prize in physics for “decisive contributions to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and the discovery of high-energy neutrinos of astrophysical origin,” the award-giving body said on Tuesday. "Francis Halzen has led an international team of researchers and engineers who have provided us with a fantastic instrument. His tenacity and scientific vision has paved the way for a new kind of astronomy," Mark Pearce, chair of the Nobel Committee for Physics, said in a news release.

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

;Born in Belgium, the 82-year-old scientist is affiliated with the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the US.Halzen's research into capturing neutrinos at the South Pole dates back to the 1980s. The winners of the Nobel physics prize are selected by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and receive a prize sum totaling 12 million Swedish crowns ($1.2 million), which is shared among the winners if there are several.