Science
Architect of South Pole’s IceCube Detector Wins 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics
Belgian-American physicist Francis Halzen has won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics for pioneering the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica. Announced on October 6, the award recognizes his contributions to detecting high-energy neutrinos from distant astrophysical sources. IceCube uses thousands of sensors buried deep beneath Antarctic ice to detect elusive particles known as ghost particles. Its discoveries, including the detection of cosmic neutrinos in 2013 and a neutrino-based view of the Milky Way in 2023, have opened new opportunities for understanding black holes, distant galaxies, and the universe's most energetic events.