Stories
Francis Halzen Wins 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics for Hunting Ghost Particles
M
Moneycontrol•07-10-2026, 10:25
Francis Halzen Wins 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics for Hunting Ghost Particles
- •Francis Halzen, an 82-year-old Belgian-American physicist, won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and the discovery of high-energy neutrinos.
- •Neutrinos, often called ghost particles, are tiny electrically neutral particles that interact very weakly with matter, allowing them to travel huge distances across space.
- •Halzen proposed using the enormous volume of clear ice beneath the South Pole as a giant detector, burying 5,160 optical sensors deep within Antarctic ice to catch faint flashes of light.
- •The IceCube Neutrino Observatory covers one cubic kilometre and announced the detection of high-energy neutrinos originating beyond the Solar System in 2013.
- •Halzen's pioneering work has helped establish neutrino astronomy, offering scientists a new way to study extreme cosmic environments and the most powerful processes in the Universe.
Key Questions Answered
Francis Halzen, an 82-year-old Belgian-American physicist, won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics for his decisive contributions to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and the discovery of high-energy neutrinos of astrophysical origin.
Ghost particles, or neutrinos, are tiny, electrically neutral particles that interact extremely weakly with matter, allowing them to travel huge distances through space without being easily absorbed or deflected.
Scientists use the enormous volume of clear ice beneath the South Pole where sensors buried deep inside detect tiny flashes of light produced when neutrinos interact with matter.
