Belgian physicist Francis Halzen wins 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics

The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to the Belgian physicist Francis Halzen on Tuesday for his contributions to IceCube Neutrino Observatory and the discovery of astrophysical high-energy neutrinos.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said Halzen was awarded the prize "for decisive contributions to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and the discovery of high-energy neutrinos of astrophysical origin."

Halzen recognized that the ice at the South Pole could be used to detect particles known as neutrinos, a vision considered "fundamental" to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, a cubic kilometre of ice that is equipped with light sensors.

Using IceCube, researchers can detect neutrinos produced by extremely energetic processes in the distant universe.

Extremely high-energy neutrinos can travel without changing direction or losing significant energy, allowing researchers to gather information about the universe that cannot be obtained through other means.

Halzen was born in Belgium in 1944 and is a professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the US.