Belgian physicist Francis Halzen has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his decisive contribution to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica and the discovery of high-energy cosmic neutrinos, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced.
The 82-year-old researcher was honoured for groundbreaking work that allows scientists to track particles arriving from the far reaches of space. This year's award carries a cash prize of 12 million Swedish kronor, which is worth approximately 1 million euros.
According to the Nobel committee announcement, the neutrino is the most elusive particle in the universe, passing through ordinary matter without being detected. Thanks to the IceCube observatory, scientists can detect neutrinos produced by extremely high-energy processes occurring in the distant universe. The committee explained that the interaction of these particles within the observatory environment will provide researchers with new insights and could reveal previously unknown cosmic phenomena.
Discovering cosmic particles in Antarctic ice
Halzen realized during the 1980s that the dense Antarctic ice could serve as an ideal medium to trap enough fleeting neutrinos for detailed study. His vision led to the development of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, an array of sensitive light detectors embedded deep within the clear ice sheet at the South Pole to record particle interactions.
Neutrinos are fundamental subatomic particles with nearly zero mass and no electric charge, created in extreme astrophysical environments such as exploding stars and active galactic nuclei. The Nobel Prize in Physics is awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm, following the bequest of Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel.
Upcoming Nobel announcements
The physics award is the second Nobel prize announced this week. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences will announce the Nobel Prize in Chemistry on Wednesday, followed by the literature prize on Thursday. The Nobel Peace Prize will be awarded on Friday, while the prize for economic sciences will be announced next Monday.
