Belgian-American physicist Francis Halzen, aged 82, was named the recipient of the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics in Stockholm on Tuesday. Halzen was honored for his significant contributions to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and the detection of high-energy neutrinos of astrophysical origin. Situated at the Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica, the observatory was a breakthrough in using ice at the South Pole to track neutrinos, often referred to as “ghost particles” due to their ability to traverse the Earth and human bodies without leaving a trace, interacting with matter very rarely.
Eva Olsson from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences described neutrinos as messengers from the cosmos, providing insights into distant galaxies and the phenomena of exploding stars. The Nobel Physics Prize winners are chosen yearly by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and are awarded a total of 12 million Swedish crowns ($1.7 million Cdn).
The IceCube, covering a cubic kilometer, became operational in 2011, realizing a vision that started in the late 1980s for the South Pole observatory. Halzen expressed gratitude to his collaborators over the years, acknowledging the initial skepticism about the project’s success. He was attending a conference in Italy when he received the delightful and surprising news of his Nobel Prize win.
Neutrinos, tiny cosmic particles with minuscule mass, are emitted from stars like the sun, with trillions passing through our bodies every second. Scientists study neutrinos by observing their interactions with matter, producing light flashes or charged particles upon collision.
Halzen’s work focused on a unique group of neutrinos believed to offer insights into the evolution of the universe. Mark Pearce, chair of the Nobel Committee for Physics, commended Halzen for leading an international team that provided a remarkable instrument for scientific advancement, leading to a new era in astronomy.
Plans are underway for an extension of the observatory, IceCube-Gen2, covering eight cubic kilometers of ice and expected to be operational by 2033, capable of detecting ten times more neutrinos, including weaker ones. Halzen emphasized that the full potential of his research is yet to be unveiled, expressing excitement about the future discoveries in astronomy.
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever praised Halzen for his lifelong dedication to unraveling the mysteries of the universe through the study of its tiniest manifestations. The Swedish academy acknowledged the discovery of neutrino oscillations in 2015, with Canadian scientist Dr. Arthur McDonald sharing the Nobel Physics Prize that year.
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry will be announced on Wednesday, the literature prize on Thursday, and the peace prize on Friday. The economics prize will be revealed on October 12. Alfred Nobel, the creator of the Nobel Prize, designated in his will that his estate should fund prizes for those who have made significant contributions to humanity in the preceding year. The laureates will receive their Nobel prizes on December 10, the anniversary of Nobel’s passing.