Francis Halzen wins 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics for cosmic particle research

Francis Halzen has won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work detecting high-energy cosmic particles from the depths of polar ice.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced the award on Tuesday morning in Stockholm. Halzen was honoured for discovering a method to track high-energy neutrinos—elusive, nearly massless particles that stream across the universe but rarely interact with normal matter. By using deep ice as a giant net, Halzen's research made it possible to detect these "ghost particles", opening an entirely new field of astronomy.

The award carries a cash prize of 12 million Swedish kronor, equivalent to roughly $1.2 million.

Why Francis Halzen won the physics Nobel

Neutrinos are among the most abundant particles in the universe, but because they have almost no mass and no electrical charge, they pass through ordinary matter virtually undetected. Halzen's breakthrough was demonstrating that deep, clear polar ice could be used as a medium to capture the rare collisions between cosmic neutrinos and atomic nuclei.

This "ice research" led to the creation of massive detectors capable of recording the faint flashes of light produced during these collisions. By tracking these light signals, scientists can trace the neutrinos back to some of the most violent events in the distant universe, such as supermassive black holes and exploding stars.

How the prize compares to last year

Halzen's win follows last year’s physics prize, which was awarded to John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret, and John M. Martinis.

Their research focused on the strange behaviour of subatomic particles, specifically quantum tunnelling. That work enabled the ultra-sensitive measurements used in MRI machines and laid the technological foundation for faster computers and better mobile phones.

This year's physics announcement is the second Nobel prize to be revealed this week. On Monday, the Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to three scientists from the US and Germany for their pioneering work in optogenetics. Their research developed a tool that uses light to control and study brain cells, offering scientists a new way to unravel the complex inner workings of the human brain.

What comes next in Nobel week

The Nobel announcements will continue through the rest of the week in Stockholm.

The chemistry prize is scheduled for Wednesday, followed by the literature prize on Thursday and the highly anticipated peace prize on Friday. The week of announcements concludes on Monday, 12 October, with the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences.