I am delighted to announce that Prof. Francis Halzen, a good friend and a member of the Highlights in High-Energy Physics Editorial Board, was recently awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics, “for decisive contributions to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and the discovery of high-energy neutrinos of astrophysical origin.”
Neutrinos with extremely high energies are created in distant galaxies where supermassive black holes act as Active Galactic Nuclei. Unlike other particles, high-energy neutrinos reach us without changing direction or losing energy. This means they can provide valuable information on the galactic source emitting them.
Neutrinos interact very weakly with matter. A huge amount of low energy neutrinos produced by our Sun and other sources passes all the way through the Earth and through our bodies without us noticing it at all. Also high-energy neutrinos are very penetrating particles but, sometimes, a single neutrino can interact with a nucleon, producing charged particles that can be detected measuring the light emitted during their travel.
Francis Halzen realised that ice at the South Pole could be used to track high-energy neutrinos. His vision and scientific leadership have been fundamental for the IceCube Neutrino Observatory – a cubic kilometre of ice that is equipped with sophisticated light sensors. Using IceCube, researchers can capture neutrinos from extremely energy-rich processes in the distant universe, which provide researchers with novel knowledge about the violent settings in which high-energy neutrinos can be created – and could even reveal previously unknown cosmic phenomena. It is the start of Neutrino Astronomy, a new, powerful tool to explore the most energetic phenomena of our universe.
For more details on their award and contributions, please visit the official announcement Press release: Nobel Prize in Physics 2026 - NobelPrize.org
Please join us in congratulating Prof. Halzen on receiving this well deserved honor!
Kind regards,
Guido Tonelli
Editor-in-chief
Highlights in High-Energy Physics
