Nobel Prize in Physics awarded for South Pole particle research
Physicist Francis Halzen has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his pioneering work using South Pole ice to detect neutrinos. His leadership at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory has enabled researchers to study cosmic phenomena like black holes.
Why it matters
This research provides a new window into the fundamental workings of the universe and high-energy cosmic events.
INNOVATION Nobel Prize in Physics awarded for South Pole particle research by Laura Varley
Francis Halzen. Image: Illustrated by Niklas Elmehed © Nobel Prize Outreach
Belgium’s Francis Halzen realised that ice at the South Pole could be used to track particles known as neutrinos.
Francis Halzen, a Belgian-born physicist and a professor at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his work at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory.
Halzen was recognised by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for his realisation that ice located at the South Pole can be used to track nearly massless particles known as neutrinos, which are capable of passing through Earth without changing direction or losing energy.
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