Francis Halzen wins 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics for neutrino research

The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to Belgian-born physicist Francis Halzen for his key role in cosmic neutrino research and the creation of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica. Halzen, an 82-year-old professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, spearheaded the design of the giant observatory buried deep beneath the South Pole ice sheet.

IceCube tracks high-energy neutrinos, often referred to as "ghost particles" because they pass through matter with almost no interaction. The detection of these particles provides critical insights into some of the most violent and distant astrophysical events in the universe. Halzen was visiting Italy for a science conference when the prize was announced in Stockholm.

Sources: ANSA, Corriere della Sera, Der Spiegel, Expresso das Ilhas, La Repubblica.