She learned that she won the Nobel Prize while shopping

At the press conference held at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the winners of the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry were announced.

The highly anticipated award was won by 96-year-old Henri Kagan from the University of Paris-Sud in France and Kenso Soai (76) from Tokyo University of Science in Japan, for their work on "the discovery of non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis".

HE FOUND OUT THAT HE WON THE AWARD WHILE SHOPPING

Stating that he learned that he won the award while shopping, Soai said, "Today is the most exciting day of my life, I am pleased to share the award with Henri Kagan."

THE IMPORTANCE OF AWARD-WINNING RESEARCH

Some molecules, such as amino acids, exist in two variants that are mirror images of each other, but living organisms contain only one of these mirror images.

Within the scope of their studies, Kagan and Soai reveal how such a chemical asymmetry might have occurred.

With the new method he developed to direct chemical reactions, Kagan enabled the production of molecules that are mirror images of each other at a much higher rate than previously thought possible.

This discovery plays an important role in the development of chemical reactions used in the production of medicines, flavors, fragrances and new materials.

Soai designed the first chemical reaction in which only one of the possible mirror images was formed.

This method, known as the "Soai reaction", is described by the Academy as "one of the most remarkable chemistry experiments" ever carried out.