Nobel Physics
A portrait of Francis Halzen is shown on the screen as Eva Olsson, Ellen Moons, and Mark Pearce announce as the recipient of the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics during a press conference at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden, Oct. 6, 2026.
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Belgian-born scientist Francis Halzen has won the Nobel Prize in physics for his work on neutrinos, tiny cosmic particles that offer clues about how the universe evolved. Speaking from Italy, Halzen expressed surprise at the award, despite previous predictions that he would win. The Nobel committee praised his work at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica, where he began studying neutrinos in the 1980s. The extraordinarily small particles are everywhere, but scientists must measure them through their interactions with other matter. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced the award in Stockholm. This year's prize money is 12 million Swedish kronor, or about $1.2 million.
