Belgian Physicist Prof Francis Halzen Wins Nobel Prize in Physics

Belgian physicist Prof Francis Halzen has won the Nobel Prize in Physics for his pioneering work on an observatory that detects particles from space, shedding light on the distant universe.

Halzen led the development of IceCube at the South Pole, which uses a cubic kilometre of Antarctic ice fitted with light sensors to detect particles called neutrinos. These carry information about violent, high-energy processes in the cosmos.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said "his vision and scientific leadership have been fundamental for the IceCube Neutrino Observatory".

Halzen first presented his vision for detecting neutrinos at the South Pole in 1988.