Francis Halzen wins Physics Nobel for neutrino discoveries

UPDATE - follow-up to Physics Nobel 2026 goes to Francis Halzen for discovery of high-energy neutrinos of astrophysical origin: Belgian-American particle physicist Francis Halzen has won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced the prize for his decisive contributions to discovering high-energy neutrinos of astrophysical origin.

IceCube and Glacial Ice

Dr. Halzen ideated the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, which uses glacial ice at the South Pole to track secretive particles coming from the distant cosmos. Because cosmic neutrinos with extremely high energies are very rare, the observatory spans an entire cubic kilometre. The facility was finished in 2011, allowing researchers to soon discover the first high-energy neutrinos and later find particles originating far outside our solar system. Dr. Halzen is a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the U.S. and was born in Tienen, Belgium. When the committee reached out to him after the announcement, he spoke to them by phone from Italy and said it was a great pleasure to hear about the prize.

Nobel Week Schedule

This follows the medicine Nobel awarded to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann, and Georg Nagel for optogenetics. The chemistry prize will be announced on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, followed by literature on October 8, and peace on October 9. The economics prize will follow on October 12, 2026. All winners receive a cash award of 12 million Swedish kronor, which is about $1.2 million. The awards are presented on December 10, known as Nobel Prize Day to mark the death anniversary of Alfred Nobel.

Context

The Nobel Prizes are international awards handed out yearly in various fields to recognize major contributions to humankind. Physics laureates are chosen by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences based on discoveries that push the boundaries of human knowledge about the universe.