The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics to Francis Halzen for IceCube and the discovery of high-energy astrophysical neutrinos.
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics on Tuesday to Francis Halzen for decisive contributions to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and the discovery of high-energy neutrinos of astrophysical origin. Halzen is a Belgian-born physicist and US citizen at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and principal investigator of IceCube.
IceCube uses a cubic kilometre of Antarctic ice fitted with light sensors at the South Pole to detect neutrinos, BBC reported. Halzen first set out the idea of detecting neutrinos there in 1988. The IceCube collaboration said he proposed and showed that ice could be used as a detection medium and was a driving force in forming the collaboration.
At a news conference Halzen said he was surprised the idea worked so well, and that few people, including himself, thought it would work when the project started. He told IceCube that the prize was a relief because it recognised the collaboration, and that the success depended on many collaborators.
Mark Pearce, chair of the Nobel Committee for Physics, said Halzen had led an international team that built a remarkable instrument, BBC reported. Erin O'Sullivan, spokesperson of the IceCube collaboration, said the project was moving from first discoveries toward more robust detections.
IceCube said it expects the first science data from the IceCube Upgrade later this year. The prize citation did not announce a new detector result on Tuesday.
People Sentiments Positive
- Francis Halzen said few people, including himself, thought the South Pole idea would work when the project started.
- Erin O'Sullivan said the collaboration was proud of the research and congratulated Halzen.