Physics Nobel Prize goes to 82-year-old scientist Francis Halzen

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics to scientist Francis Halzen. Born in Belgium, Halzen is 82 years old.

He is being recognised for the discovery of high-energy neutrinos of cosmic origin and his contribution to establishing the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. The academy said he played a role in detecting extremely energetic neutrino particles that originate in space and reach Earth.

Neutrinos are also known as "ghost particles." Halzen will receive about 1.2 million US dollars as the prize money.

The Nobel Prize in Medicine for this year was announced earlier.