
French scientist Henri B. Kagan and Japan's Kenso Soai honored by the Nobel Committee
AI-generated summary
Molecules used by all life, such as amino acids, are chiral and exist in two mirror-image versions.
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to French scientist Henri B. Kagan and Japan's Kenso Soai for providing a solution to the chemical mystery of life's asymmetry.
The Nobel Committee explained: "Molecules used by all life, such as the amino acids that are building of proteins, are what is known as chiral."
"This means that they have two versions that are mirror images of one another."
Life is highly selective and only works with one version. The two scientists answered the question of why life favours one of these mirror image molecules over the other.

Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai are awarded the prize for the discovery of non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis, solving the mystery of how homochirality can arise.

The 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was jointly won by French chemist Kagan and Japanese chemist Kenzo Kipatsu for their discovery of nonlinear effects and autocatalytic phenomena in asymmetric organic synthesis. The two winners will share a prize of 12 million Swedish kronor equally, and the award ceremony is scheduled to be held on December 10.
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Frenchman Henri B. Kagan and Japanese Kenso Soai for their work in asymmetric organic synthesis.

Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai won the Nobel Prize in chemistry for discovering non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced that the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry will be awarded to Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai for their discoveries in nonlinear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis. This article also reviews the achievements and scientific research history of previous Nobel Prize winners in chemistry.

The 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai for their discovery of nonlinear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis.