Astrophysicist Francis Halzen receives Nobel Prize in Physics

The Belgian astrophysicist Francis Halzen receives the Nobel Prize in Physics for crucial contributions to the “IceCube” neutrino observatory and the discovery of high-energy neutrinos of astrophysical origin. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (KVA) announced this on Tuesday in Stockholm.

Last year, the quantum researchers John Clarke (Great Britain), Michel Devoret (France) and John Martinis (USA) were honored with the prize.

The Nobel Prizes go back to the dynamite inventor and prize donor Alfred Nobel (1833–1896). He stipulated in his will that the awards should be given to those who have rendered the greatest benefit to humanity in each award category over the past year. Physics was the first category that Nobel mentioned in his will. The first Nobel Prize winner in physics was the German Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen in 1901 for his discovery of the X-rays named after him.

The Nobel Prizes are traditionally presented on the anniversary of Nobel's death, December 10th. Then the German researchers Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel and their co-winner Karl Deisseroth from the USA will also receive their prestigious Nobel medals in the field of medicine, which they were awarded on Monday for their discoveries in the field of optogenetics.

For the first time in Nobel Prize history, the winners in the categories of physics, chemistry and economics will be announced this year by a woman, namely Ellen Moons, who was born in Belgium. She has been the General Secretary of the KVA since the beginning of the year and is the first woman to hold this position since the academy was founded in 1739. The other Nobel Prizes in medicine, literature and peace are awarded by other institutions.