Nobel Prize in Physics Is Awarded to Francis Halzen for Work on Neutrinos

Francis Halzen was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics on Tuesday for his work on a project at the South Pole that has helped discover high-energy neutrinos of astrophysical origin, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said.

Who is the winner?

Mr. Halzen is a physics professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He was born in 1944 in Tienen, Belgium.

Why did the committee say he received the prize?

The Nobel Committee praised Mr. Halzen’s “vision and scientific leadership” at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, a research project at the South Pole that he directs.

The project — which the committee said involves “a cubic kilometer of ice that is equipped with light sensors” — was designed to capture neutrinos, bountiful but elusive subatomic particles that could give astronomers a new look at the universe.

Mr. Halzen first presented his vision for capturing neutrinos at the South Pole in 1988, the committee said in a statement, and IceCube was finished in 2011.

“Researchers soon discovered the first high-energy neutrinos and, a few years later, could publish their discovery of neutrinos that must originate far outside our solar system,” the statement said.

Mark Pearce, the chair of the Nobel Committee for Physics, said in the statement that Mr. Halzen had “provided us with a fantastic instrument” and that his “tenacity and scientific vision has paved the way for a new kind of astronomy.”

What did he say about winning?

Mr. Halzen called the award “a great surprise.” Addressing the news conference in Stockholm by phone from Italy, he emphasized that his work was the result of a “large collaboration” with other researchers.

Who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2025?

John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret and John M. Martinis shared the prize for work that made the behaviors of the subatomic world observable in a system large enough to see with the naked eye.

Who else has won a Nobel Prize this year?

Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine on Monday for their discovery of a transformative neuroscience tool that may one day lead to a treatment for blindness.

When will the other Nobel Prizes be announced?

The prize for physics is the second of six Nobel Prizes that will be awarded this year. Each award recognizes groundbreaking contributions by an individual or organization in a specific field.

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry will be awarded on Wednesday by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm. Last year, the prize went to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar Yaghi for the development of molecular building blocks with spaces large enough for gases and other chemicals to flow through them.
The Nobel Prize in Literature will be awarded on Thursday by the Swedish Academy in Stockholm. Last year, Laszlo Krasznahorkai, a Hungarian novelist known for his dystopian themes and relentless prose, received the award.
The Nobel Peace Prize will be awarded on Friday by the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo. Last year, María Corina Machado, who built a powerful social movement in Venezuela challenging the nation’s authoritarian president, won the award.
Next week, the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences will be awarded on Monday by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm. Last year, Joel Mokyr, Philippe Aghion and Peter Howitt were honored for research explaining the relationship between technological progress and sustained economic growth.