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Francis Halzen Awarded 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics for IceCube Neutrino Observatory Work

By Today News Hours Editorial Desk

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced on 6 October 2026 that the Nobel Prize in Physics 2026 will be awarded to Francis Halzen of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, USA, "for decisive contributions to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and the discovery of high‑energy neutrinos of astrophysical origin." Halzen first proposed using the South Pole’s ice to detect neutrinos in 1988. The IceCube Observatory, a cubic kilometre of instrumented ice completed in 2011, captures rare high‑energy neutrinos that travel unaltered from distant cosmic accelerators. The discovery of these neutrinos, which originate outside the solar system, opened a new field of astronomy. Mark Pearce, Chair of the Nobel Committee for Physics, praised Halzen’s leadership and vision. The prize amount is 12 million Swedish kronor. Further details are available on the Academy’s website and the Nobel Prize site. Press contacts: Eva Nevelius, Press Secretary, +46 70 878 67 63, [email protected]