What was the Chemistry Nobel Prize given for? | Explained
The 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai for their research into molecular chirality and the amplification of handedness. Their work explains how life evolved to prefer specific mirror-image molecules and enables the production of high-purity pharmaceuticals.
Why it matters
Understanding homochirality is essential for both the origins of life and the development of safe, effective medical drugs.
STORY SO FAR: The 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai for showing that it is possible to amplify a molecule’s “handedness,” and direct it in a way that it can be used to produce pharmaceutical products of a very high purity. Their work also offers clues to explaining how life on earth could have evolved from simple molecules.
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