Nobel Prize in Physics Awarded to Francis Halzen for Detecting ‘Ghostly’ Cosmic Particles

Francis Halzen has won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics for decisive contributions to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and the discovery of high-energy neutrinos from astrophysical sources. Based at the South Pole, IceCube uses thousands of light sensors embedded in a cubic kilometre of Antarctic ice. When a neutrino rarely collides with an atomic nucleus, the resulting flash helps researchers trace its direction and cosmic origin. These elusive particles offer a new way to study powerful events in the distant universe