Belgian-born scientist Francis Halzen wins Nobel Prize in Physics for work on neutrinos

Belgian-born scientist Francis Halzen was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics on Tuesday for his research on neutrinos, elusive subatomic particles believed to hold clues about the evolution of the universe. Halzen, affiliated with the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the U.S., which operates the observatory, was recognized for his efforts to demystify these rare particles.

Neutrinos are characterized by their lack of electrical charge and extremely small mass, making them difficult to detect. They are abundant, originating from sources like the sun, and trillions pass through the human body every second. Since neutrinos are rarely observed directly, scientists measure their interactions with other matter. To increase the chances of detecting these infrequent collisions, large detectors are constructed.

Halzen conceived the idea of utilizing the vast Antarctic ice as a detector. The Nobel committee cited his work as crucial to the development of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, an experiment situated approximately 8,200 feet (2,500 meters) deep within the Antarctic ice. This observatory has detected the first high-energy neutrinos originating from distant galaxies. When a neutrino interacts with the ice, it generates a flash of light detected by sensors, with the transparency of the ice aiding in capturing faint signals and the depth shielding against interference from cosmic rays and radiation.

"This experiment in the Antarctic is a revolutionary way of understanding the universe that we didn’t have before," said Michael Moloney, chief executive officer for the American Institute of Physics. Jonathan Bagger, chief executive officer of the American Physical Society, added that this research contributes to understanding humanity's place in the universe and the formation of galaxies.

The prize money for this year's award is 12 million Swedish kronor, approximately $1.2 million.

Last year, the Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to three scientists for their research on quantum tunneling, which has applications in technologies such as MRI machines, mobile phones, and computers. The announcements for this year's Nobel Prizes began with medicine on Monday, followed by physics on Tuesday. The prizes for chemistry and literature are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, with the peace prize to be awarded Friday and the economic sciences prize on Monday.